《Ki Horizons - [Litrpg, Adventure, Power Levels]》


 Chapter 1 - Island Paradise

    Gentle waves lapped at my feet from the mirror pond. The tide carried water below the earth and up onto the island, causing this special pond of mine. I could see my face reflected in it, even as the water moved, licking and tickling my feet.


    A green-eyed, sun-kissed face stared back at me, practically gleaming bronze in the sunlight. A wide smile adorned my face, but I couldn¡¯t help it! Today was going to finally be the day! I was finally going to really know what my power level was.


    I moved my arm up, the weight making it nearly impossible. My arm was already feeling numb just from putting the device on. I¡¯d had to do something I hadn¡¯t really wanted to do, but that I could no longer resist.


    I¡¯d stolen the family¡¯s Vambrace. I¡¯d heard they called it something else in other parts of the world, but to me, it had always just been The Vambrace. It was a bit of an ugly thing, an early model. It went around the forearm, about the length of my hand, and weighed as much as a good-sized stone. On top of a thick leather strap that went around the arm, was a large screen. It felt otherwordly despite its age, like ancient technology. I knew there were things more advanced than I could imagine out there in the world but¡­ we lived simply out here on the islands. I could practically hear my mother and father''s words already.


    ¡®And what point is all that technology, hmm? We have what we need. Our food is cooked, our water is clean, our bodies are healthy, and our family is whole. What more could you need? No. Excess technology is only meant for those who¡¯ve lost sight of need and gone only into want. Keep your wants simple and you¡¯ll never be unhappy a day in your life Mutai. Now eat your vegetables.¡¯


    I laughed at the memory and then again at my father''s words the next day.


    ¡®Listen to your mother Mutai. Had a phone once, spent every day on it. Nearly missed my first date with your mother playing stupid games. Destroyed it the next day. Never again. Now come play in the sand with me.¡¯


    I¡¯d been seven at the time. And truly, they¡¯d never been wrong. Technology corrupted, led to capitalism and money.


    The words alone made me shudder.


    No. Life was perfect with a good man or woman, some fruit and fish, the ocean by your side, and family that had your back.


    But The Vambrace was different. It revealed information more important than anything else in the world, the thing everyone wanted to know, the thing that had been hidden from me since birth. Your Power Level. How strong you were! The difference between a person who could barely pick up a bottle and someone who could (apparently) shatter mountains! Though, I¡¯m not sure I believed that last claim¡­


    Still, it was important. I¡¯d even heard that you couldn¡¯t get a job with a Power Level less than 10 on the mainland. Some places even used it to decide if you were ready to be an adult. Considering the average adult Power Level was 5¡­


    I stared, hard, as I flipped the massive switch next to the screen. It flared to life, four green zeros staring back at me. I wasn¡¯t really sure how to use it, but it was intuitive. A weird connection formed between me and The Vambrace. I angled it toward myself, and the numbers began to change. I watched, excited, as a new number appeared on the screen!


    [1]


    One.


    A power level of one.


    Weaker than a child.


    I stared, flabbergasted, shocked and horrified, my life flashing before my eyes, my total sense of being disconnecting as I was struck by a new reality that-


    Heh.


    I chuckled to myself, my joke too much. As if I felt any of those things. Had ever felt any of those things! But my laughter soon grew and grew, getting louder and louder. My stomach began to hurt and I could feel tears of amusement rolling down my face. It was all just too funny.


    My parents had tried to hide it, my friends, the elders, my whole village, and all the people I knew.


    As if I didn¡¯t know.


    As if I didn¡¯t see how easy my friends could run and swim and how I struggled so hard to do a fifth of what they could do. Or how easily even children could beat me in an arm wrestling competition. As if I didn¡¯t see how my father suddenly acted like wood was the heaviest thing in the world while I was nearby or my mother ¡®miraculously¡¯ managed to help him do the work. How the villagers all moved slower and like they were barely able to do any labor nearby me even with the smallest of things.


    All my life, everyone had put on a silly little play, just for me.


    As if I didn¡¯t know I was weak.


    But how could I not? And, more importantly, why should I care? I was blessed and happy. I had everything I needed, and my mother had been right. Did I want more strength? No¡­ not really. Maybe once upon a time, I did. Who doesn¡¯t dream of a bit of power? But what would it get me? What could it get me? All those stories of the strong, all those competitions, the strange world we lived in, the dedication to strength, the focus on martial arts¡­ but what did it get those people?


    I¡¯d heard so many stories about harems, wealth, and power. But where¡¯s the kind family? The happy children? The loving parents? Why are all those stories always about taking and never about people giving willingly? What kind of person would be happy with that?


    No. I don¡¯t care for power. But I had always been so curious. My power level was clearly below five but was it three? Two? But no, it was truly the lowest someone¡¯s could possibly be. Well, a baby might be weaker, but that would depend on the baby. Not all children were born equal, after all.


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    ¡°Mutai! Mutai! Where are you?!¡±


    The smile on my face froze. Uh-oh.


    ¡°Mutai! What are you-¡±


    I turned, a sheepish grin on my face. The Vambrace was on my arm, still ¡®proudly¡¯ displaying my weakness for the world to see. A giant glowing one. A woman stared at me in shock, bronze-skinned like me, with matching emerald eyes and silver hair cascading down her back.


    My mother.


    I was ten the last time I got a spanking, my ass beaten raw and red. I had a feeling I was walking a paper-thin line of having it happen again.


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Mutai, you¡­ We¡­. I¡¯m so sorry Mutai. We never wanted you to know. We¡­ We¡¯re¡­¡± My mother¡¯s voice sounded so lost, so heavy, and I could see tears beginning to form in her eyes as her voice shook like a leaf in the wind.


    My heart cracked. No. No, this wasn¡¯t okay. I could take angry but my mother about to cry? No. Never.


    ¡°Mom.¡± My voice was sharp, different. Firm. My mother froze, tears still forming. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± I said, letting my happy smile return.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I have you and Dad. I have the water and the sea, the fruit and fish, the wind and the earth. My body is healthy, my food is good, my family loves me. All of my family loves me: Cranky Tuwa, Juak, Suma, Maui, the elders, the whole village. Who cares about power? I just wanted to know, but I have what I need and I have what I want. It¡¯s okay Mom. Truly, really. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    I smiled, my most genuine smile, and was caught off guard when my mother rushed to me and crushed me in a hug. Literally. I could feel my bones starting to crack.


    I hugged back, trying to keep the smile on my face. This was a good day, even if I got a little bruised. My mother¡¯s words slipped into my ears. They were filled with so much joy and love and relief, that I almost didn¡¯t hear the actual words themselves.


    ¡°I am gonna beat your ass red for stealing the Vambrace.¡±


    My smile evaporated, and for just a moment, I really wished I had a far higher Power Level.


    ******


    A long, painful, embarrassing walk back home ensued. Every step hurt, and it felt like a dozen angry bees had stung my behind, but I hid it the best I could. I saw our house in the distance, in the middle of the village, waving at a few friends along the way. I moved away from the devil- I felt piercing, knowing eyes lock onto me. I moved away from my very kind and loving mother, letting her talk to father in the living room while I went to put away the Vambrace.


    ¡°Wait.¡± His voice called out, and I was struck stupid for the second time in one day. My mother had almost cried, and now my father was giving me what sounded like a stern order. I¡¯d never heard him sound anything like that. I was starting to feel like I¡¯d really caused a mess this time.


    I turned back to my father, a large-chested, usually smiling man. There was no smile this time. He was stern-faced, whispering with my mother right in front of me. Their voices too low and too fast for me to catch. Finally, he stared at me, emotions I couldn¡¯t read or understand buried and swimming in his dark eyes.


    ¡°Mutai.¡±


    I expected more, and I waited for it, but the silence¡­ just grew longer.


    ¡°Power¡­ we¡¯ve taught you so little about power¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Dad. I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    Both my parents winced at that. They looked at each other, a silent conversation going between them.


    ¡°Perhaps you are right. It¡¯s¡­ good that this didn¡¯t break your spirit. You have what you need here on the island. Yes, our island, your island, will always be your welcoming home.¡±


    I could read between the lines.


    ¡°Wait, is that what you were worried about? That I was going to leave?¡±


    Dad looked uncomfortable.


    ¡°People¡­ can get stronger. With training. Experience. Fighting. Being taught by a master. We don¡¯t have that here.¡±


    ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t want to leave. I¡¯m happy here. Everyone I know is here. I don¡¯t want to go to the mainland to try and get stronger. I¡¯d probably have to get a job. No way.¡±


    He sighed, like all the weight of the world had fallen off his shoulders.


    ¡°We feared the worst. The world¡­ the world can be so unkind, Mutai. You¡¯ll be safe here.¡± His words were so, heavy. Knowing. Scared. And ended with such desperate conviction. Like he was begging the world for that last part to be true. I was caught off guard, choking on emotions I didn¡¯t quite get.


    Why was father so scared?


    Mother shattered the tension.


    ¡°And speaking of being safe, you can start by helping me with preparing today''s lunch.¡±


    I groaned. Fish was great! Preparing fish, not so much.


    Before long, it felt like all the weirdness and seriousness was a bad dream. My dad talked about his carpentry, my mom showed off her newest carving, and I relaxed in my family home. Everything was perfect.


    This, this was a paradise. My paradise. And nothing could ever ruin it-


    Screams and yells split the air in our home, unlike anything else ever could. We turned, all three as one, towards the door before turning back to each other and then running out. I was the last one to leave.


    Outside, I saw our village, people outside who should¡¯ve been happily going about their day. But they weren¡¯t. They were staring, up into the sky, where a small black dot floated there. I stared in confusion, but my father screamed, his horrified voice painting the world in terror.


    ¡°It¡¯s King Vega!¡±


    Some villagers froze, some ran, and some screamed. It was like a tsunami had come. My own heart chilled, all of the stories and rumors coming back to me all at once. I turned to my mother-


    I turned-


    I turned to my-


    Flames. Dead. Dying. Fire. Bodies. Their bodies. A golden road.


    I turned-


    Beams, energy, glowing power, whispers, pain.


    I-


    My mother, my mother. A hole through her heart. A beam faster than light, her expression leaving her face, a frozen moment, a voice. So many voices.


    King Vega stands before me. His body is on fire. His skin has melted off. Only muscles and bones are left. His evil eyes melt, yet they still stare into mine. The golden road brightens. The whispers get louder, the voices clearer as power suffuses me. I glow. All is Gold and All is White as evil pours all around the world.


    The End Comes.


    ¡°Your fault. Your family died for you. It was your fault.¡±


    Time fast forwards, time rewinds, a golden blue seeps out of me, I punch and the universe shatters.


    I wake up, bottle in hand, tears in my eyes, as the rain seeps into my bones.


    ¡°S-Stupid dream. Curse. Curse you, King Vega.¡±


    A stranger passes me by.


    ¡°Stupid drunk. You¡¯re going to die cursing the King in his own city.¡±


    The tears flow freely as I remember all that I lost on that damned day¡­

 Chapter 2 - Memories. Oh The Memories.

    Dizzy. Pain. Always the pain.


    My veins, I can feel them. Enflamed, like they¡¯re trying to tear themselves apart. God, I wish they would. It¡¯s all that I deserve. I can¡¯t see, my vision too blurry. I can¡¯t hear, the pounding of my head too loud.


    It doesn¡¯t help. It doesn¡¯t stop them. The memories¡­ oh the memories.


    Tears flow, the pain flares, but they don¡¯t stop. I can¡¯t stop them. I won¡¯t stop them. Nothing will stop them.


    The day¡­ the day it all died.


    ****


    I turned to my mother-


    A beam. A beam, a bright purple beam was going through her. In that moment, I couldn¡¯t understand. I failed to realize I would never understand. I saw her, her face! Shock and pain and her eyes¡­ I saw the light leave her eyes. One second, she was alive and the very next¡­ it was like her soul drained out her body, leaving her eyes empty, blank, like a broken doll.


    Too much, I couldn¡¯t understand, it was all too much and too fast. The screams and cries of the villagers, the hail of more beams out the corner of my eyes, the sight of them piercing others, the cries of ¡°King Vega!¡±


    I didn¡¯t think he was real. No, no, he must be fake. I always thought he was made up. A fairy tale, a nightmare made to scare small children.


    The man who survived a nuclear bomb without a scratch, Vega.


    The man who destroyed a mountain with his bare hands, Vega.


    The man who destroys entire cities and leaves remnants purely for fun, Vega.


    The King of the planet named after him:


    Vega.


    I raised my arm, the Vambrace still on it. Why did I raise it? Why? Then I would never have known¡­


    The Power Level¡­


    10¡­


    100¡­


    1000¡­2000¡­5000¡­


    9999¡­


    The Vambrace exploded and cracked, searing my arm. I cried out, the pain only adding to the rest of my turmoil.


    I was still staring in shock when I felt my bones break and the wind rush past me. I can remember it so clearly. I thought¡­ I was under attack! Someone was attacking me!


    I turned, to try to do my best to fight back, to call for help, only to realize the village was getting further and further away at an incredible speed. And that¡¯s why I saw it. The Explosion. The Bomb. A giant sphere of dark purple energy fell and when it hit-


    It was the wake up call, concussive clarity. It snapped all the pieces together and broke me to my core.


    My mother was dead. That was my first thought, before everything else. Before anything else. I saw her die. She was dead. My mother was dead.


    My father lay on top of me, back burnt pitch black. He¡¯d tackled me and ran, so hard he¡¯d broken my bones. So hard and in such a rush that we¡¯d made it away from the explosion, if only barely. He¡¯d saved me, he¡¯d poured everything into saving me, by running as hard as he could.


    My village. My village! It was¡­ gone. Gone. Nothing but a horrible crater was left.


    I stared, shock and terror curdling around my brain and heart like the world¡¯s worst poison, stabbing me over and over again. Yes, maybe I really was in actual shock. How could everything go so wrong so fast? How could? How? How could? What? How could- how could- how could-


    My thoughts stuttered and stuttered, stuck, so horrifyingly stuck, playing it all out again and again. It was a moment of unrelenting torture. The fear only rampaging harder and harder, till it all broke in that one moment. That singular moment. That damn moment.


    Steps. I heard steps and turned, only to see Him.


    King Vega.


    I¡¯d heard about him since I was young, I¡¯d heard he was over a hundred years old, and yet he looked nothing like an old man.


    He looked¡­ young. Arrogant, cocky. Black spiky hair, early to late twenties, malicious eyes, white skin. My mind grappled, trying to take him in and failing. He looked alien to me. So unlike all who I¡¯d known all my life, but not like a monster, more like a bully.


    And yet he¡¯d killed my family. My friends. Destroyed my home. And he was smiling, smirking, as he looked at the devastation. As if this was all just a game to him. A fun activity.


    ¡°Why?¡± I had to know. I had to ask. My whole being radiated with the need, craving understanding. He turned to me then, and his smirk only grew bigger.


    ¡°Oh? You lived huh? Lucky you I guess.¡±


    He held out a hand, palm forward, facing me. My eyes grew wide with terror. Somehow, somehow I hadn¡¯t acknowledged that I was going to die. The thought hadn¡¯t even crossed my mind. I hadn¡¯t had time to think about it. I hadn¡¯t had any damn time to think at all! And now, now-!


    A small sphere of bright purple energy manifested, building, pointed right at me.


    I swallowed and my pupils shook as I stared death in the face.


    It was all too much, all too much.


    All too fast.


    I was going to die.


    I should¡¯ve died. It¡¯s not fair. It¡¯s not right. It should never have been¡­


    A body stood in front of me, blocking my sight.


    ¡°F-Father?!¡±


    ¡°You. Will not. Kill my son.¡±


    His back was burnt black, blood poured down from where he¡¯d barely been clipped by the energy bomb. I could even see his spine. And yet he stood in front of me, arms held out, legs spread, breath heavy.


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    In that moment, everything came into such sharp focus.


    I could feel the pain of my broken ribs, stabbing into my body. The heat in my breath as I hyperventilated and panicked. The cold and icy terror and horror stabbing into my mind like a hundred million sharp needles, making my body feel like frozen ice as it chipped away at my sanity. My shaky body as it still reverberated physically from being so close to an explosion, my failing vision and afterimages seared from the bright light into my cornea, the blunted sound of everything swimming through my blown out eardrums, the scent of ash already in the wind, blood in the air, death in the world.


    And then it all tripled and ratcheted up to a point of no return as the Devil, the Monster, spoke.


    ¡°Two survivors? Well well well, would you look at that? Fair enough. Your son can live.¡±


    As if time had slowed, I saw my father¡¯s head disappear, replaced with a beam.


    I failed you all.


    ¡°NO!¡± My voice tore, the word ripping out of me like a maimed animal. The beam grew smaller and my father¡¯s body fell, toppling lifelessly next to me.


    Before me still stood King Vega, hand still out, the smirk never having left his face.


    My father¡¯s body lay at my feet, headless, blood pouring in torrents out of his neck.


    I tried.


    I attacked him. There was no thought, no conscious decision, only the rage. The feeling of loss. Dark, ugly things broke into my soul that day and would never again let me go. And they all demanded, they all screamed, they all howled and cried and bled and mourned and fought and stabbed and demanded only one thing of this world.


    HE HAS TO DIE!


    I failed. I could barely stand, my punch barely reached, and it did less than nothing. King Vega stared out from where my fist had slammed into his face, expression unchanged.


    ¡°Impressive. I think the blood from your father¡¯s ruined head hit me harder. That¡¯s some incredible weakness. I didn¡¯t know I was sparing an infant.¡± Voice unchanged, expression unchanged, raw amusement lifting the pure smugness in his tone.


    I screamed, the sound broken and wet and afraid and full of unending RAGE. I swung, again and again and again and-


    And¡­ then it was over.


    I woke up.


    I had been knocked out without even realizing it. Had he punched me? Touched me? Even looked at me? Or had he just demanded I fall like a god and I had? I would never know.


    That was when the worst of the nightmare truly began. I was broken, my body ruined. People, strangers, were caring for me. They were on my island, they were bringing me away. I didn¡¯t understand, I tried to fight back. To tear their hands off me, to get up and find King Vega and kill him.


    They held me down as easily as I might hold down a leaf.


    ¡°Only one survivor this time?¡± One said. He wore white clothes, with a bored expression.


    ¡°Yup.¡± Said the woman with her hand on my chest, popping the P. It was wrong, it was so wrong. They, who were they? Where was I? What was happening? Why were they so casual?! My village¡­ mother¡­ father¡­


    The man finally looked at me.


    ¡°Congratulations.¡± He said, his voice monotone. ¡°You¡¯ve survived King Vega. As a reward for surviving his trial, you will be healed and dropped off into Vega City. You may seek revenge at your leisure. Per the King¡¯s instructions, he heavily encourages you to try. If you die before being able to challenge him, then you clearly weren¡¯t worthy of seeking revenge in the first place. After all¡­¡±


    ¡°Only The Strongest Is Allowed To Face The King.¡± The man said. He said those words. He said them. But¡­ but they were all wrong. Monotone, as if from a script. A script he¡¯d read so many times before, as if¡­


    The woman laughed. She laughed. I¡¯ll never forget that sound, so long as I live.


    A haunting sound entered my ears. Laughter. It was so wrong, it was all so wrong. Everything was so wrong. I puked. I leaned to the side and puked hard, gagging, crying, sobbing, still being held down.


    The world was broken and so was I.


    ¡°Hey, sorry.¡± She said, staring down at me, a cruel smile on her lips. ¡°For you, this is the worst day of your life. For us? Vega? It¡¯s just another Tuesday.¡±


    ****


    I can feel the bottle, as it falls from my grip. The rain slamming down onto my form. After that¡­ I was broken. So, so broken. I cried, I screamed, I tried to fight them. They didn¡¯t care. Even if I was ten times stronger, they wouldn¡¯t have cared. They held me down and put me back in the healing tank, drowning me in the fluid, till I could breathe it. My injuries healed, but not the ones that mattered. Never the ones that mattered.


    I was¡­ I was part of a process. There were others like me. So, so many others. Shipped and dropped off into Vega City. A whole corporation¡­ made just to transport the survivors of Vega. The Smile Company. I¡¯d only learn later they¡¯d mined my island and stripped it clean of everything that made it special. The special pond I liked so much, most likely destroyed to make bottled water. It was another death to add to the pile.


    For the first time in my life, I¡¯d worked. I¡¯d also stolen. I¡¯d eaten. Maybe said hello. It¡¯s all such a blur. But rage¡­ it kept me going. I awoke with a dark fury every morning. Vengeance. I can remember it so clearly, how bright it felt every night I went to sleep, how it conquered the confusion, how it focused me, how it burnt out everything else. It took time, time to learn this bizarre alien place, time to adjust, time to heal enough to even attempt to seek revenge. A fog that lasted more than a year.


    But I came back. I swore revenge, I¡­ I¡­


    I failed.


    I trained in the gyms, but my power level never went up.


    I scraped together all the money I had to pay for a master, but my power level never went up.


    I fought. I fought and lost, so much. And my power level never went up.


    I begged and begged and begged to be let into one of the dojos, to any of them, all of them, till one finally agreed. I practiced and learned and tried. I tried! I TRIED! I TRIED HARDER THAN ANYONE!


    And yet¡­ and yet¡­


    [1].


    If I looked above me, if I focused¡­ I could see it floating above me. My Vambrace was still broken, shattered, lost long ago, sold for barely enough to last another day. And yet¡­ I could see it there, above my head if I focused. A number. But not just mine.


    [2]. A child


    [7]. A random woman.


    [10]. A muscular man.


    I could see the numbers¡­ floating above them.


    A curse. King Vega had cursed me. Another insult to injury. Always able to see how strong others were. To see everyone¡¯s power level without a Vambrace. To know my own precisely. I could see others increase in power. See the numbers change.


    And yet mine¡­ mine had never changed.


    I gave up. How could I not? Every day¡­ every day the same strength. Every day the same power level. Every day, every day, every day every day every day every day¡­


    No closer to revenge.


    What was there left to do but drink? Too cowardly to kill myself, too weak to do anything, too stupid to figure out what to do.


    Worthless.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Worthless. I¡¯m just so worthless. Why¡­ why did I have to be born so weak¡­


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Worthless. If I¡¯d only been stronger¡­ mother¡­ father¡­ everyone¡­ you¡¯d all still be-


    ¡°HEY STUPID!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I say intelligently, looking up.


    Oh. Just a gang.


    ¡°Oi. Whatcha thinkin¡¯ you¡¯re¡¯ doing out here ya homeless bum?¡±


    So many gangs, so many lusting for power. What a terrible place to make a home. All so¡­ weird and bizarre.


    ¡°Are you fucking deaf you dirty bastard?¡±


    ¡°Look at his face. No way he¡¯s local.¡±


    ¡°Ha. You know, I heard King Vega blew up a bunch of islands a few years ago. Think he¡¯s from there?¡±


    ¡°Eh, he could be from anywhere. You know how it is.¡±


    Soft words yet they still break the skin. More painful than anything else. Had it been years already? I couldn¡¯t remember.


    ¡°Holy crap! Look at his Power Level!¡±


    ¡°What?! It¡­ oh. Don¡¯t you be scaryin me like that Johhny! I thought we had a proper¡¯ tiger on our hands and instead we got a¡­ wait, how are you even alive?!¡±


    ¡°Now that there is a freak of nature. Don¡¯t see that every day. Think he¡¯s dying?¡±


    Why were they even here, out in this dreadful rain? Why couldn¡¯t they just¡­


    ¡°Leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Nah, no way buddy. Actually¡­ I¡¯m feeling generous today.¡±


    Generous? Oh great, it¡¯s time to get robbed again. Just my luck-


    ¡°Come join the Kuma Gang.¡±

 Chapter 3 - A New Beginning

    What? I was so stunned by the offer I nearly collapsed on the spot.


    ¡°Hey boss, what are you thinking?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah man, we can¡¯t have trash like that in the Kuma gang! Look at his power level! We¡¯ll be arrested just for having an infant in the gang!¡±


    The man who offered only rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Now what do ya think you¡¯re¡¯ doin, contradictin me like that? I told ya before and I¡¯ll tell ya now, I know what I¡¯m doin. Men, you¡¯re looking at our future cleaner. Yeah yeah, he¡¯s a bit of a mess, but he¡¯s a ref-u-gee. Ya¡¯ll know exactly how they¡¯ be. All so sad and angry. We th¡¯row his ass in a dunk tank, clean him up, knock a few teeth in, and he¡¯ll be right as rain.¡±


    ¡°Ah! We do need a new cleaner after the Snakes killed our last one¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn them, going after the personnel like that¡­¡±


    I tried to fight through the haze of the damn alcohol to figure out what was going on. A gang. A gang was asking me to¡­ become a part of them?


    I actually focused on the men, taking them in as more than just the random blurry figures that had been bothering me. I almost reacted with shock at what I saw, before remembering just what kind of city I was in.


    They were wearing bear costumes. Well, no, bear onesies. Grown adult men were wearing bear pajamas in front of me, in the pouring and pounding rain, acting casual as can be. I wasn¡¯t surprised, not anymore. This city was bizarre at the best of times. I¡¯d seen an all nude kitchen that scorched even my black heart pink with embarrassment, groups of animal people, people with multiple limbs or eyes or ears, weird skin colors from white to green to every single one under the sun, and all of those had nothing on the dojos.


    And the most important lesson I¡¯d learned?


    Looks don¡¯t matter. Something their power levels confirmed.


    [9]


    [10]


    And¡­


    [??]


    That last one only showed for people above ten power. Their leader, the gang boss, he was strong. Power Level wasn¡¯t linear. Anyone above ten was a terrifying person to me, despite how common it was in this damn city¡­


    ¡°Oi, stupid. How about¡¯ it? Ya keen on joining Kuma Gang already? We¡¯ll even get ya you¡¯re own costume! Gonna have to pay it back though. Still, pretty generous don¡¯tcha think?¡±


    Is this what my life had become? Getting pressed into a gang, forced to wear a costume, forced to clean the blood and gore from others, only to die when a rival gang got annoyed and wanted to take out the weak link?


    I could practically feel my mother from beyond the grave, staring daggers into me. Despite earning scraps and living on the streets¡­ I¡¯d never joined a gang. Never did drugs, I even shied away from technology despite how many companies were more than willing to get me a vehicle or Vambrace for ¡®free¡¯.


    In that moment, I did actually feel gratitude welling up inside me for these people. To feel my mother¡¯s glare on my back, the fury she¡¯d feel if I even thought about joining a gang.


    My mother¡­


    Father¡­


    My whole island¡­


    I¡¯d failed them. I¡¯d failed myself. I¡¯d-


    A Golden Road. A universe ending. Power, unbelievable power. Enough to destroy anything. Enough to protect everything.


    My whole body still shook and I could feel it. How I wish I could have felt then what I felt now. Like I was on a knife¡¯s edge, that fate was swinging me around, that this would be the beginning or the end.


    I could join this gang. I could do that. I could accept and die almost guaranteed in some dirty basement, forced to clean their clothes till my fingers bled and I had to clean my own blood off them.


    Or¡­


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What, I don¡¯t think I heard ya properly there. Now, I know I don¡¯t see no Vambrace on ya, but let me clarify some facts real quick. I ain¡¯t exactly proud or boasting about my strength over here but compared to you? Well, let¡¯s just say ya better rethink real fast ya damn drunk.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Sorry boss, looks like the new guy is too washed up in his drink tonight. Damn shame about it too.¡±


    The boss sighed, looking at his underlings, before nodding with a look of annoyance on his face.


    ¡°Welp, guess there¡¯s no¡¯thin for it. Guess we gotta kill a man tonight. Can¡¯t be getting out we let the weakest man in the world reject us now can we?¡±


    I felt a shiver of fear course its way up my spine through my drunken haze. I¡¯d been clear headed in the moment, knowing with absolute certainty that I needed to refuse. That I had to refuse. That I could never let myself fall that far. That I could never give up!


    That I needed to try again.


    To get my revenge. To increase my power. To grow stronger.


    And now all that fire felt like it had left me.


    I was drunk, dirty, my vision was swimming, my hearing was shot, and I was even weaker than my power level would suggest right now. A single one of their punches, at my best, could still crack my bones. And I wasn¡¯t at my best.


    I considered running away but that dream¡­ it was so clear, so heady. There was no more running.


    My father¡¯s words came back to me in snippets.


    People¡­ can get stronger. With training. Experience. Fighting. Being taught by a master.


    I¡¯ve fought before. Never a gang, never people this strong, but people have kicked my ass before even though I tried to fight back. But¡­


    But I¡¯d never truly been in a fight to the death.


    Maybe this is what I needed. Maybe this is what I needed all along! A true fight to the death to finally increase my Power Level-!


    The pain hit me first. Awareness second. It reminded me of my darkest memories before the unrelenting agony tore a scream through my broken and shattered jaw. I could feel my teeth stabbing into my own gums and my face-!


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Crack


    My whole body seemed to freeze. This time, awareness was faster than the pain, if only by a sharp half second.


    My leg. They¡¯d cracked my leg in two. I could see it, above his damn bear foot, the bones sticking out as my red blood coated the sidewalk.


    The world ceased to exist as white hot agony broke me to my core. There was nothing but the pain, as it grew and grew. It flared and grew higher, as I felt kicks and punches that could shatter stone rain down on me.


    They broke me.


    They shattered me.


    They killed me.


    My own words were my last thoughts as I died. Looks don¡¯t matter on Vega. I was going to die, a drunk failure, to a gang wearing bear pajamas. It was wrong, it was so wrong. I would, I would, I wouldn¡¯t die here! I was, I was going to get my revenge! I was going to, to-


    A foot tearing through a bear costume was the last thing I saw.


    ****


    ¡°Ugh! I tore my costume using his face!¡±


    ¡°What were you thinking?! Now we¡¯ gotta go on and get a seamstress too?! This is a dark day for the Kuma Gang.¡±


    ¡°Oi, boss. What we gonna do about the drunk bum?¡±


    ¡°Eh, cops don¡¯t come around these parts anyway. Sides¡¯, he¡¯s just a refugee. They don¡¯t live long anyway.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, come on. And besides, with a power level like that? Ain¡¯t no way he¡¯s got any connections.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, I just wanted to know if we wanted to dump him. Ya guys don¡¯t gotta give me a whole spiel, I live here too ya know!¡±


    Grumbling and walking away from the scene of a murder, an unfortunately common sight in the darker parts of Vega City, the Kuma gang left.


    All was silent save the rain, as Mutai bled out. Minutes of life left in him at best.


    .


    .


    .


    An old man walked by, staring down at Mutai¡¯s broken form.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Two fingers pressed against what was left of his body.


    ¡°Hmmmmm.¡±


    The smallest, tiniest whisp of energy snaked around them.


    ¡°Hmmmmmmmmmm.¡±


    The old man stared down, silently, looking to be in deep contemplation. A hand rubbed his chin as he continued to think, uncaring about the wounds on Mutai¡¯s body or his rapidly draining life force.


    ¡°Ehhhh, maybe? Super weak though¡­ Guess I¡¯ll give him a chance anyways.¡±


    A hand grabbed an ankle and a body was dragged away.


    ******


    Pain. So, so much pain. I could feel my body on fire, doused in a- I can¡¯t breathe. It hit me like nothing else. I can¡¯t breathe, my lungs burn and scream for oxygen. I can¡¯t breathe. Liquid rushes down my throat, all over my body. I can¡¯t breathe. I can¡¯t breathe I can¡¯t breathe I can¡¯t breathe I can¡¯t-


    I try to swim, to escape, to get out. Walls. Up, forward, behind. Stuck, stuck. I¡¯m drowning.


    I¡¯m drowning.


    Panic. Pure and utter panic. I won¡¯t, I can¡¯t, I don¡¯t want to die like this. Not like this. Not in the sea, not in the water. Don¡¯t ruin the last good thing for me. No, NO!


    Tap.


    ¡°Hey. Calm down in there. You¡¯re just in a healing tank you idiot.¡±


    W-What?


    A light blue tinge takes up my vision. I was floating in liquid, but not drowning. Not truly. Horrible memories assaulted me. The Smile Company had forced me into one of these and been the first people beyond Vega to try and break me down. I still remembered that ship ride so clearly. They¡¯d snapped my arm after I¡¯d tried to escape and then forced me inside.


    Without telling me what it did.


    I¡¯d thought I was going to die.


    Those horrible memories come rushing back. The feeling of water pouring into my lungs, the people on the other side of the glass smiling or laughing at me like I was an idiot, the feeling of pain miraculously leaving my body¡­ it was all so familiar but all so different.


    For one, there definitely wasn¡¯t an old man with one foot in the grave glaring at me like I¡¯d puked on his favorite rug last time.


    He looked positively ancient. He looked like he¡¯d lived a hard life, his hair a dirty white, slight wrinkles adorning his face, scruff around his jaw. He had a serious expression and piercingly blue eyes. His body looked far from weak though. Broad chested, with thick arms, and wearing a mostly open white Gi, he looked like he was able to bend steel, even if only slowly.


    I felt like I¡¯d stumbled upon an old master.


    ¡°Can¡¯t believe you survived.¡± He said, rubbing his chin, the glare in his eyes dying down a little. ¡°Thought carrying you down the stairs was going to be it¡­ ah well, good news is good news.¡± He mumbled to himself, saying something incredibly scary. ¡°You¡¯ll need to stay in there for another hour. Don¡¯t leave for at least that long or I¡¯ll put you back in myself. There¡¯s some clothes on the chair here for you.¡±


    So saying he turned around and left without a further word.


    I sat there- floated there, stunned for a moment. My thoughts trying to move and failing to find any grip, like they were constantly slipping away. Even questions failed to make any sense to me, as my broken body slowly healed and regenerated, putting itself back together. The pain going from agonizing to only moderate to nothing.


    It was only after a few minutes had passed like that, that I finally broke out of my trance. My mind spinning. I was an idiot! I should¡¯ve, questioned him! What was going on? What happened?! Why was I-


    I died.


    No, I almost died.


    The memories came flooding back.


    I could still remember it. The speed too fast for me to see, the instant pain, them breaking me. Killing me. Tearing my entire body apart with blunt force. Their blows shattering bones, my blood pouring out in torrents through torn arteries, the white unending agony before¡­ before everything went dark with a foot to the face.


    I had been moments away from death and only the kindness of a random old man with a healing tank had saved me. Without him¡­ I¡¯d be dead.


    My eyes shook. I had almost died. I had turned them down, refused, reliving that dream of Ultimate Strength. Of all consuming power. But that¡­ that wasn¡¯t me.


    I was just a weakling, a pathetic loser. But that didn¡¯t matter anymore. I¡¯d been beaten by this city, in more ways than one. I¡¯d gotten a job, I¡¯d stayed here, I¡¯d even considered buying a phone and getting a car. That¡¯s when I¡¯d really begun drinking. I¡¯d been within inches of giving up on my vengeance and then again on giving up on my own life.


    No. I owed my family too much to ever even think about that.


    I refused. Never again. Even if I died¡­ No. No, I couldn¡¯t die. I would not die before I had Vega¡¯s head torn from his body and his heart crushed in my hand. That bastard would pay.


    I¡¯d find a way to get stronger. No matter what.


    But first¡­ kindness. It¡¯s not like no one had ever shown me it before in this damn city but¡­ but this wasn¡¯t the normal level of kindness. Who was this old man? Why did he save me? Who even owns a healing tank? What did he want?


    My thoughts went wild, ranging from a bountifully kind soul aiming to help me to a twisted devil aiming to use me. There was nothing but time and thought as I let the healing tank do its job.


    *


    *


    *


    Ding


    Finally, right when I was considering whether the old man was secretly a family member who moved to the mainland a long time ago or a creepy old guy who rescued young naive men, the healing tank finally beeped and drained its fluid. For the first time in what felt like years but was only an hour, I took a breath of air, before promptly puking all the liquid out of my lungs.


    Yeah, I hated that the first time too. Just like before.


    I took a look around now that I was free and realized some important things. My whole body had felt like one massive numb bruise, so it was only now I realized¡­ I was naked. In an old man¡¯s basement. I¡¯d be more worried if I hadn¡¯t seen him- No. No, looks don¡¯t matter on Vega. I have that stupid cursed ability to see power levels, why didn¡¯t I pay attention? I could¡¯ve seen what strength he had! Ugh. Stupidity like that was what nearly ended my life not more than a few hours ago.


    The bare concrete walls of the basement told me nothing. The wooden chair, less. The clothes on it though¡­


    Underwear, a white Gi, and a white belt.


    Oh.


    I¡¯d gone from being forced into a gang to being rescued by a Dojo!


    I winced.


    Let¡¯s hope this one goes better than last time¡­

 Chapter 4 - Welcome to the Dojo

    After putting on my clothes, I frowned, realizing I¡¯d not been given any shoes or footwear. That wasn¡¯t too unusual for a dojo but the already cold concrete on my bare feet was pretty unpleasant. I sighed, trying to remember what the old man had said before leaving me.


    Only to realize he hadn¡¯t really said anything. Just that he had given me some clothes and not to leave the tank before I was fully healed.


    The doorway loomed and for a brief moment, I hesitated. No matter what, I was pretty damn sure what I¡¯d see when I looked at the old man¡¯s power level. Even if I did see it, it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d be any weaker than me. Being at the mercy of someone else¡­ at everyone else, wasn¡¯t a new experience for me. I¡¯d once had some candy I¡¯d bought literally stolen from me by a child after they¡¯d used their Vambrace on me¡­


    But the difference here and now was that I owed him. Whoever he was¡­ I owed him my life. Why? Why had he saved me? Helped me? What did he get out of it?


    The same question had spun around in my mind for over an hour and nothing more was going to come from just dwelling on it. I took a deep, deep breath, and walked out the doorway. I hadn¡¯t really noticed it before, but the doorway had no door. Seeing out, I wasn¡¯t too surprised by what I saw either.


    Stairs. Stairs covered in what I can only imagine was my dried blood¡­ that was a lot of dried blood¡­ How did none of it get into the healing tank room? Or had it and the old man had cleaned it?


    I shook off my stupid thoughts and climbed the stairs, only to find myself in a hallway. Looking to my left and right, the floor was made of wood and the walls were barren concrete. Left seemed to lead to a dead end and right, well, it was the only way to go.


    I passed by a few rooms. Each was basic, seeming to have different training gear or equipment. Nothing crazy. Some had actual doors and after a hesitant knock and more hesitant opening of them, I figured out they were sterile bedrooms. No doubt for the students who actually lived here.


    Finally, there was only a single pair of doors left. They were old fashioned, or maybe just old, and pushing them open I tried not to stare at what I was seeing.


    A Dojo. Wooden floors, walls, and ceiling. It was small but no less impressive for it. I still remembered begging as much as I could to be let into one of these places¡­ only to be kicked out shortly afterwards. My lack of progress getting me thrown out, despite how hard I tried. Those days¡­ those were some of the better days, even if they¡¯d only been a few weeks. I felt like I¡¯d been making real tangible progress, learning, but¡­ it had been a fool¡¯s dream.


    Shaking my head, I focused. I wasn¡¯t even alone. The old man knelt on a mat to my side, eyes closed, the top of half of his gi off. His muscles were like steel cords but tightened and contained in his body. His chest hair was white, making him seem even older than I¡¯d first assumed.


    He said nothing as I stared. It took me a moment, but I noticed that there wasn¡¯t just one mat, but two.


    Ah.


    Cautiously, I walked forward, kneeling down in the same position on the mat opposite him. He finally decided to open his eyes and it was like staring into an icy abyss surrounded by steel all the way down. His blue eyes pierced into me, staring down into the depths of my person. I barely even took the time to look above him, the answer was already obvious.


    [???]


    This old man¡­ I could feel it. He was a monster. I¡¯d met people like him before, rarely but¡­ he might really be the strongest person I¡¯d ever met.


    ¡°So you¡¯re finally awake. Walked right into that imperial ambush.¡±


    My mind blanked for a moment. Imperial what?


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ah, nothing. Just an old game I used to play in my youth.¡± The old master said, his words not really matching his expression. He looked almost bored but¡­ had he just played a joke on me?


    ¡°Anyway, so yeah, you were dying pretty damn bad out there.¡± The old man said, cleaning his ear with his finger. ¡°Thought you might be worth my time. So, you want to be stronger right?¡±


    At this, my own expression hardened. I bowed low, my forehead hitting the ground.


    ¡°Master, please train me!¡±


    I wouldn¡¯t let this opportunity slip away! I would beg and beg if need be. I¡¯d done it before, I¡¯d do it again. Pride had no place if I was going to avenge my family and tear Vega apart! I¡¯d do anything this old man needed me to do, even if-


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. Whatever. Get your head up though, that floor ain¡¯t clean.¡±


    I blinked, raising my head to stare into my¡­ master¡¯s eyes. He seemed so¡­ nonchalant about everything. Was this really the man that had saved me? Wait, was this really the man that had just agreed to make me stronger?!


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question though. You want to be stronger right?¡±


    ¡°Of course I-¡± I froze for a moment, feeling the lie about to leave my mouth. Did I¡­ really want to be stronger? That wasn¡¯t the point. No, no I didn¡¯t care about strength. If I had a nice and easy button I could smash to get my revenge, I¡¯d take it in a heartbeat. If I thought poison or technology could beat Vega, I¡¯d research and use both. No, I didn¡¯t really care about strength. I had visions far beyond that.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I want to tear Vega apart.¡± I said, my voice filled with pure and utter hatred.


    At this, my new master finally gained a serious look on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the goal. If you want to do that, you¡¯ll need to not just become stronger. You¡¯ll need to become the strongest in the world. You barely have a power level of one. Do you really think you can do that?¡± He asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± I said, my heart feeling certain. ¡°I¡¯ll figure out a way, no matter what. I¡¯ll do whatever I need to do. Get as strong as I need to be. Till he¡¯s dead. Till I can kill him.¡±


    ¡°Well, alright then. Good enough. Let¡¯s see you put that to the test then.¡±


    Casually, he got up, stretching as he did.


    ¡°Hey, oi, what do I call you anyway?¡±


    ¡°My name is Mutai.¡±


    ¡°Mutai huh? Well you can just call me Master or Old Man, if you want.¡±


    I blinked at that. I don¡¯t know why I was so surprised. I¡¯d once seen a walking, talking bear having a conversation about ethical food sources with a man wearing nothing but a speedo and lipstick in broad daylight. This was a weird city and I was starting to think a much weirder planet than I¡¯d ever known. An old man without any cares in the world wasn¡¯t that unusual by comparison¡­


    The important thing was he had agreed to train me! No one just ¡®gets¡¯ a Dojo. Not when everyone other damn person in the city would love to have one. Only the strong could get their own place to train others. He¡¯d not only saved my life, but even agreed to help me, even after he¡¯d heard my goal.


    His personality and looks had thrown me off at first but I knew what I needed to do.


    I bowed low.


    ¡°Thank you Master. Thank you for saving my life. Thank you for-¡±


    ¡°Whoa whoa whoa, none of that now. Bah, ew, god no. Just go do your best and if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll throw your ass out. End of story.¡±


    Gratitude still swelled in me but now it was tinged by nervousness. I followed Master as he led me back the way I¡¯d first walked into the Dojo from. He seemed to pick a room at random but I doubted it. I¡¯d glanced inside earlier but it didn¡¯t seem like anything special.


    Concrete walls, concrete floor, and a grey punching bag hanging from the ceiling.


    ¡°Alright, here we go.¡± Master said, waving to the punching bag.


    And then everything changed in a split second. Like a veil had been torn apart. I froze and my pupils could barely move, staring at my Master. No longer was he the casual old man. Now, he seemed exactly like his appearance first suggested. Old, but Strong. His words were like thunder in my ears, his eyes like cauldrons of hatred spilling over me, demanding this one thing.


    ¡°You must do your best.¡±


    And suddenly, as quick as it had come, the¡­ aura had vanished. I gasped, barely being able to breathe.


    ¡°Got it? Do your best. That¡¯s all you gotta do.¡± He said, no longer looking like a monstrous creature about to tear my head off.


    ¡°Y-Yes Master!¡±


    ¡°Good. Punch it.¡±


    I looked at the punching bag. Things were kinda moving fast in my life but this was what I had wanted. A second chance. I didn¡¯t think it was a coincidence that the moment I decided to try again, my life was saved by an old master and he decided to train me. That dream had truly shown me the way. Was it prophetic? If I had said yes to those gang members, I¡¯d never have gotten this opportunity.


    I wasn¡¯t going to waste it.


    ¡°Hiyah!¡± With a scream and a yell, I punched the bag as hard as I could. I felt the air go over my fist, felt the impact rattle my arm as it hit, felt the force transfer as-


    It barely moved, if it even did at all.


    I grimaced and looked towards my Master, who had a disbelieving expression on his face.


    ¡°Wow, that may have been the second weakest punch I¡¯d ever seen. Wait, I might have seen a baby punch once¡­¡±


    The wave of despair that hit me was practically physical. It brought back my worst memories. I, I had only one chance and already I was blowing it! When would I get such a kind master again? He¡¯d saved my life and I was already repaying him by being a failure.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry Mast-¡±


    ¡°Funny. I didn¡¯t say to stop.¡±


    I blinked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Punch. It.¡± Master said, glaring at me.


    ¡°R-Right!¡±


    I punched again¡­ and again and again. I didn¡¯t stop, speeding up, going all out. My punches did almost less than nothing, weak as they were. It barely moved yet my arms already felt so heavy, like they¡¯d fall off at this rate. Still, I didn¡¯t stop as sweat poured down my face and my breathing grew jagged and heavy.


    I punched and punched and punched. Left, right, left, right, left right left right left right. Over and over again as the minutes passed. My stamina was just as weak as the rest of me and before long, I had to stop-


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    I turned to Master, shock across my face.


    ¡°Master, I-¡±


    ¡°I told you to do your best. If you¡¯re still breathing, you can still punch. So punch it until you¡¯re dead.¡±


    My master¡¯s face was rigid, no playfulness or uncaring found. He was serious.


    ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°You want to beat Vega with this weak of a will? Worthless. Impossible even. No amount of strength would allow you to win. No more talking. Punch it.¡±


    I swallowed, but felt a fire light up inside me. He was right. Was this all I had? Tiredness alone was able to beat me, stop me? No. Never. I¡¯d said I¡¯d do whatever it takes and now I wanted to rest? Unforgivable.


    I punched. Again and again and again and again. Every time I slowed down, every time I felt like taking a break, every time my breathes felt like shards of glass cutting my lungs-


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    -Master¡¯s voice would demand more of me. Always more. I wouldn¡¯t let him or me down. This was the first step! I had to, to take this first step! My vision swam as I clenched my fist, pain radiating from my knuckles, as I threw another punch.


    Another and another. Soon, my vision began to swim and blackness began to edge into my vision.


    Another punch¡­ another¡­ an¡­oth¡­er¡­


    I didn¡¯t even feel the impact with the floor.

 Chapter 5 - Punch it

    ¡°Ughhh.¡±


    I groaned as I woke up, feeling like I¡¯d passed out in a terrible position out on the street again. What had even happened? The last thing I remembered was-


    The dream, the fight, being saved, punching.


    Right! I had a Master now. An actual master. I¡¯d been in a fight to the death and been saved by that old man. He, he actually took me on as a student! And then¡­ and then I punched and punched and punched and-


    ¡°Owww.¡±


    My whole body felt so sore. Every muscle in my arms were practically screaming at me and I felt so tired even after waking up. It was like my blood had been replaced with lead and then pounded down into shape with iron. It hurt. Not like the white hot agony of being broken apart. But still, it hurt.


    Piercing blue eyes stared down at me.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    Huh?


    ¡°W-What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me. Punch it.¡±


    My Master¡¯s head turned, staring at something I¡¯d not made any noticeable mark on. The punching bag. Still just hanging there, in the same position it always was. My Master, wanted me to punch it? But¡­


    ¡°I think I need to go to the healing tank.¡±


    ¡°No. Punch it.¡±


    There was a serious look in my Master¡¯s eyes. No jokes as I woke up, no uncaring attitude or nonchalance. He was fully serious about me punching the damn bag again. But, I¡¯d just, I¡¯d just passed out punching the damn thing! I even blacked out. I could hardly stand right now, let alone throw a punch!


    ¡°But, Master I-¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get stronger, get out.¡± He said, staring me down. ¡°If you¡¯re still breathing, you can throw a punch. So, Punch It.¡±


    My heartbeat sped up. It was like the whole weight of the world was on me. It was hard enough to throw punches at it normally but like this? Could, could I even get up?


    ¡°I told you. You must do your best. Punch it.¡±


    I gulped. This was the test right? I had to show my resolve. That was the point. That I could keep going no matter what. That I would really do my best, no matter what. That I had the drive and will to be the strongest, to actually be the one to take down Vega. I took a deep breath, centering myself. I wasn¡¯t going to waste this chance. Even if I had to punch this damn bag for a million, no, a billion years!


    I wasn¡¯t going back. To that horrible day, to that horrible trip, to the years spent begging and pleading and trying and working only to be crapped on, beaten up, and even left for dead. To getting drunk and letting the world pass me by in a haze. To getting beat to death and only being saved by a random old man¡¯s mercy. No, never again.


    I tried to get back up¡­ and failed. I blinked in shock before a wave of pain hit me. My muscles were toast, some might even be torn. I had to grit my teeth as my exhaustion tried to lull me to sleep along with the pain.


    I pushed.


    I sat up.


    I stood.


    ¡°Punch it.¡± Came the words from the old man, his stare never leaving me.


    ¡°Yes Master.¡± I managed to say.


    I punched and couldn¡¯t resist letting out a wince. My fists didn¡¯t like that one bit. I wasn¡¯t strong and my durability wasn¡¯t high either. I already felt like my knuckles were bruised. My punch practically swam through honey before it finally hit the bag. My second punch was a bit faster but it was like I had become rigid iron, piloting a body that didn¡¯t want to move.


    I kept going, exhaustion clawing at me. I hadn¡¯t had much time to rest. However long I¡¯d been out, it hadn¡¯t been long enough. Minutes passed and I could feel myself slowing down.


    ¡°Faster. Harder.¡± My master said, his words forcing me to do just that.


    Over and over again. My body complained, fiercely, but it was just a work out. I just had to, keep going. Over and over and over again. Before long, it all seemed to fall away. My punches went forward, over and over again. My fists smacking into the grey material, the soft thumps echoing out. The sweat dripping off my form, my body swaying, and always my master¡¯s words flowing into my ears.


    ¡°Faster.¡±


    ¡°Harder.¡±


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    I could feel my chest heaving, my eyes drooping, my soul feeling exhausted. Just had to punch it. Just punch it. All I had to do to beat Vega was punch it. Punch, punch, punch, punch. The bag and me, that was all there was. Empty words and the endless bag. I didn¡¯t stop and my stamina was holding me up better this time.


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    Punch the bag.


    Hit the bag.


    My arm moves forward, it hits the bag.


    Again and again and again.


    Sweat hits the ground, the bag resists, the words blur. Iron pushes forward, endless blows rain down like droplets in a storm. Always moving and going, always pushing forward. Light begins to blur and in that darkness it¡¯s only me and only the bag. Time halts and keeps going at the same time. An eternity awaits me and yet it¡¯s the same stop as the first.


    ¡®Punch it.¡¯


    Just had to punch it.


    .


    .


    .


    The old man watches as his newest student finally starts to get the memo. He¡¯d been embarrassed when he¡¯d passed out but at least he was finally starting to get it. He¡¯d entered a good ole workout trance. That should last him at least a few hours.


    The old man frowns. He forgot how weak his new student was.


    Maybe half an hour¡­


    How ridiculous. The problem with his new student was plain for him to see. He was too soft. His will was weak.


    Well he¡¯d fix that right up. There was always a surefire way to make people¡¯s will stronger.


    Just put them through hell.


    .


    .


    .


    Punch¡­ punch¡­ punch¡­


    Punch¡­ punch¡­ punch¡­


    ¡°Faster.¡±


    Punch.


    ¡°Harder.¡±


    Punch.


    Punch¡­


    P¡­unch¡­


    ¡°Get up. Punch it.¡±


    Get up? I was just, just catching my breath. God, I felt so tired. I just wanted to go to sleep. How long had I been doing this? But I just, just had to keep throwing, throwing my punches. Just had to. Just had to.


    ¡°Get up.¡±


    Up? I wasn¡¯t, I wasn¡¯t sitting down.


    ¡°Up.¡±


    I could feel the cool concrete under my hand. I felt so hot. So tired. I just, just needed to rest for a little while.


    ¡°Vega will kill you.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡±


    ¡°If this is all you can amount to, Vega will kill you.¡±


    The words were backed up by some of Master¡¯s aura, cutting through my tired mind like a knife. Vega. What was I doing?! When had I even sat down? I don¡¯t remember. I had to kill him. How could I lose to something so measly as being tired?


    I got up and threw another punch. My arm hurt, my knuckles hurt, my vision swam again, but my feet stayed planted. Again. Again. Again!


    Again!


    Punch after punch left me. And disgust and anger filled me. Every punch seemed to scream at me. I still had this much left in me? I still had another punch? Another ten? Another hundred?! And I was going to lay down before giving it my all? What a fool I was.


    No wonder I¡¯d never gotten stronger. I¡¯d never wanted it enough.


    I wouldn¡¯t stop. With every punch new conviction filled me. I imagined the bag as Vega¡¯s evil face. Till every blow can smash him apart, till every punch breaks him like he broke me, I can¡¯t stop.


    I won¡¯t stop.


    Never.


    I kept going, but the body, it¡¯s a betraying temptress. The fire in me could only last so long. Before long, it began to scream at me. Every muscle pulled, every second seemed like I was fighting through a wave of sickness, my breaths came heavy, sweat stuck to every part of me, and began to feel disgusting. I¡¯d fought through the exhaustion but all that awaited me on the other side were these awful sensations.


    There was no trance this time. Just the endless repeating motion of pulling my arm back and pushing it forward. Having my aching knuckles hit a bag, over and over again. My shoulders ached. My mind began to skip, as if I hadn¡¯t gotten sleep in a very long while.


    I heaved, holding the bag just to stand up. My master¡¯s words came and hit me like an old wound and sore in one.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    I tried. I threw a final punch. The same punch as any other, except far weaker than even by normal standards.


    And then it all went dark again.


    .


    .


    .


    When I next woke up, my body felt even worse than last time. I let out a silent scream as my body told me exactly how it felt about what I was doing. Every muscle hurt. It was a different pain, one I wasn¡¯t used to, and my face twisted in agony. Silent tears fell down.


    I¡¯d pushed too far. Far too far.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    The words were like the deepest coldest horrors. My face paled, terror gripped me. There¡­ there was no way right? I was in so much pain¡­ I¡¯d passed the test right? We could, surely we could take a break already right?! I didn¡¯t even know what day it was¡­


    My master stared down at me, face like an uncaring mountain. Eyes staring directly into my soul and finding nothing worth anything.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    Those words were repeated, over and over. I could barely think. The pain coiled around and through me unlike anything I¡¯d ever experienced. My mind barely had the energy to generate an action, let alone a thought.


    I got up. I cried. My body screamed. I don¡¯t know how I did it.


    I pulled back, I screamed. I punched, my knuckles lit up in agony.


    I barely lasted a minute. I didn¡¯t pass out this time. But I collapsed. The cold concrete hit me like a punch from Vega.


    I lay there, writhing with every movement causing even more pain.


    ¡°Hmm. Well, I suppose this is good enough for today.¡±


    A hand grabbed me, the force of it causing a pained groan to escape me.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be spending most of your nights in the healing tank from now on.¡± I felt a stabbing in my arm, only to see a needle in it. When, where? ¡°For the nutrients. We don¡¯t have time to waste with you eating right now. The healing tank will deal with the dehydration but I¡¯ll get something for that tomorrow anyway. A basic IV should work while you''re passed out. Bah, I¡¯ll have to get some actual water too won¡¯t I? Well, whatever.¡±


    I barely could take the words in, my body barely able to focus on anything.


    ¡°Congratulations kid. You made it past day one. We¡¯ll be doing the exact same thing tomorrow.¡±


    I cried in a different kind of pain this time.

 Chapter 6 - Day 2

    I woke up in the healing tank for a second time.


    I hated it but sadly, I think I was going to have to get used to it.


    I¡¯d spent the night floating in here, having my muscles put back together. It didn¡¯t actually take that long, it had healed far worse injuries far faster. But Master had said before he shoved me in that it took longer if it was only stimulating natural healing. Something that was going to be needed if I didn¡¯t want my body to ¡®lose about 80% of its progress.¡¯ Master¡¯s words, not mine.


    I glanced up, looking at the number above my head.


    [1]


    No change. I hadn¡¯t gotten any stronger after yesterday. But I did feel¡­ good. This wasn¡¯t anything like when I was last at a dojo. There, there''d been dozens of other students, all following forms and doing stretches and lightly sparring with each other. It wasn¡¯t like we didn¡¯t work out, but nothing like what had happened yesterday.


    I hadn¡¯t made any real progress. Even without a Vambrace, that was easy enough to see. Finally, the master there, Jing Ho, had kicked me out. I simply wasn¡¯t keeping up with the class forms or advancing well enough.


    Here¡­ I hadn¡¯t seen any other students. Maybe there wasn¡¯t any. I¡¯d seen a few rooms, this was clearly a dojo that could hold them, but I seemed to be the only other person here.


    And I still didn¡¯t know why.


    I¡¯d been so excited about being essentially offered the chance to grow stronger from someone so strong, someone who saved my life, that I¡¯d jumped at the chance. And master hadn¡¯t demanded anything from me, except for my best.


    And then pushed me right to it.


    I shuddered, still remembering what had happened yesterday. I¡¯d passed out before, but it had usually been from drinking too much or something stupid like that. I¡¯d never collapsed multiple times in a day from pure exhaustion. Never blacked out from overworking my pitiful body. And maybe that was the problem. I had tried so hard¡­ but never this hard. Not to the point I needed a healing tank to put me back together.


    I snorted.


    Of course. All along the only problem was my work ethic, capitalism to buy something vital, technology to help me, and the inherent strength in the first place to keep it once I bought it. Figures. My biases got in my way. But¡­ even without a healing tank, I could¡¯ve pushed harder couldn¡¯t I have? Muscles and bodies heal. I could¡¯ve pushed myself further.


    My power level hadn¡¯t increased yet, I wasn¡¯t any stronger, but if yesterday¡¯s training was any indication¡­ I might actually be able to do it!


    One day¡­ one day they¡¯ll be a different number above my head.


    There was a soft ding and the healing tank opened, letting me out.


    I stretched, feeling¡­ good. After yesterday and the times past, I didn¡¯t think I could ever feel this good again. My body felt, well, if not strong at least healthy. I¡¯d been in too much pain and shock after being beaten to near death the first time. I shuddered even now, just thinking about those damn gang members in those stupid bear pajamas. They¡¯d nearly killed me. No, they practically had¡­ It hadn¡¯t exactly given me a lot of time to appreciate just how great I felt. That healing tank was a miracle.


    I took a deep breath, doing a few more basic stretches. The previous dojo at least taught me how to do that much. How long has it been since I last did them? Time was a blur and the drinking hadn¡¯t helped. Now? Now I felt so good. Like I hadn¡¯t thrown away so much time wasting away and destroying myself. Like I hadn¡¯t spent the entirety of yesterday tearing my body apart.


    I looked to my right and saw a familiar sight. A pair of underwear, a white belt, and a white gi on a chair, neatly folded. I stared down, belatedly realizing I was naked again. Did Master¡­ strip me yesterday? I don¡¯t remember¡­ That was kinda eerie.


    Putting on the clothes and walking back up the steps, I could almost believe I¡¯d been caught in some kind of¡­ loop. It was all the exact same as yesterday, the same room, the same clothes. Except no master, or horrific awakening, or dried blood on the stairs. It was the little differences that made everything else stand out so much more.


    Walking back towards the dojo, I paused. There was another difference today, as the training room from yesterday passed me by.


    Master was standing there, arms crossed, waiting. The bag still hung there and a mix of fear, dread, and excitement boiled around inside me. Part of me begged that what I was going to hear would be different. Part of me hoped I would hear it. Master cared not.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    I took a deep breath.


    ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    *****


    Time seemed to lose meaning for a while. My body was weak but not deficient. Meaning, I didn¡¯t just instantly pass out the moment I had to do some labor. For now, there was a quiet rhythm I¡¯d gotten into after my experiences yesterday. Right, left, right, left, right left right left.


    It left room to think.


    ¡°Master?¡± I asked cautiously.


    ¡°Hmm? You¡¯ve got room to speak? Wild. Well, that won¡¯t last long.¡±


    A shiver ran down my spine at that.


    ¡°Uh, Master. Can I ask, why are we doing this? Why are you doing this?¡± I said, my weak punches still thumping into the bag. The only sound in the room beyond my master¡¯s humming.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that big a secret, though I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t ask sooner. That type of desperation isn¡¯t attractive you know? You¡¯ll never find a woman like that. Tsk tsk.¡±


    Whatever expression I had been making had definitely become strained. Ah, right. I¡¯d forgotten how¡­ caring old people were with those kinds of things. Who could think of romance at a time like this?! I had a journey of a thousand miles to go and I had only just barely begun to walk it.


    ¡°Anyway.¡± Master continued. ¡°The reasoning is simple. You¡¯re not the only one that wants someone dead. I¡­¡± Master¡¯s voice, casual and maybe even jovial in the right context, turned¡­ different. Off. Melancholy with an undercurrent of pure hatred and maybe even fear.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I have my own revenge story. I¡¯m hoping you can get strong enough to deal with that.¡±


    I stopped punching in shock.


    ¡°You want me to kill someone? You believe I could kill that someone?¡±


    Master raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill Vega aren¡¯t you? Do you think there¡¯s anyone else you can¡¯t kill if you¡¯re going to manage that? I¡¯d be insulted by the powers that be if that¡¯s the case. And don¡¯t worry about morals or anything like that, I have a feeling you¡¯ll gladly kill them when the time comes. Oh, and, get back to punching.¡±


    I did, my mind whirling with so many thoughts.


    Master wanted me to kill someone, their enemy. Someone that had harmed them. That was why they were helping me. That was the cost of their help. I¡¯d barely even considered that as an option because¡­


    Master thought I could do that. Me. He actually believed I could do it. And the way he spoke¡­ I¡¯d said my intentions about killing Vega to people but¡­ but no one had ever believed in me. In those words. How many people had said them? How many people had died trying? Yet with master, it was hard to see whether he really believed in me through his casual attitude but, it didn¡¯t seem like he was just saying that. I didn¡¯t really get the feeling he was the type to lie or spare other''s feelings¡­


    But that just left one question.


    ¡°Why me?¡± I asked, scarcely able to believe it.


    I was weak. The weakest. I would genuinely struggle to hurt a fly because I might not generate enough force to kill it with my bare hands. I had tried a million and one things and never raised my power level even by a bit, while others had it naturally grow through age alone. A child could kill me with some effort.


    So why me?


    ¡°Oh, that. I got an ability a while ago that lets me detect potential. You have enough to, maybe? Yeah, maybe kill them. That¡¯s about it.¡±


    I nearly stopped punching in shock again. Master was telling me things with the same cadence as talking about the weather but that were life altering to me.


    ¡°I have potential?!¡±


    ¡°Everyone has potential. Almost no one meets it or lives up to it.¡± At this, Master seemed genuinely unhappy, a frown marring his face. ¡°Such a waste of everyone and everything, shame to say. Speaking of, punch harder, and a bit faster. You¡¯re slowing down too much.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes Master.¡±


    My mind whirred but I focused. Master believed in me. He really did. Otherwise¡­ why even try to help me? Maybe he didn¡¯t believe I could kill Vega, maybe he did, but he did believe in one thing. That I could grow stronger. That I could grow stronger than him.


    That fuel lasted me as long as it could, before my body began to feel like it was falling apart again. The same as yesterday. Master wouldn¡¯t let me stop. The familiar feeling of iron and lead muscles, of my lungs burning and crying, my sweat coating me and dropping till it had nothing left to give, all of it came back again and again.


    I didn¡¯t pass out, but I did collapse.


    The moment I did, master practically teleported, stabbing me in the arm with different needles and then hooking up an actual IV to my arm. I stared at it in confusion. It¡­ it hadn¡¯t been in the room with us a moment ago.


    ¡°Five minutes and then you get back up.¡±


    It felt like the blink of an eye when I was forced to get back up. The same words as always reverberated in my head.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    I was going to be hearing that in my nightmares!


    Just gotta keep going. Over and over again. Even as my legs felt like jelly and my soul felt like it was breaking, I just had to keep going. I wouldn¡¯t let my family down. I wouldn¡¯t let my village down. As I glanced at Master out of the corner of my eye, I realized I had a new person in my life that I needed to help. Vega, of course, wasn¡¯t the only evil bastard out there.


    My next punch hit harder.


    My goal was Vega¡­ but a thrill went up my spine as I imagined it. Defeating and destroying evil like him. A journey of a million miles and thousands of dead bad guys along the way. It filled me with determination.


    I could save so many people¡­ so many would never have to suffer like I suffered. No more gangs killing people, no more monsters blowing up villages. My fist would end them all.


    The day passed me by, muscles screamed, blood flowed, sweat poured, knuckles ached, my body collapsed, needles were stabbed, that random IV kept reappearing out of nowhere but throughout it all¡­


    I had a smile on my face.

 Chapter 7 - Day 3-7

    I woke up again floating in breathable liquid. The feeling of it rushing down my lungs, filling them up, spilling out my throat. It was everywhere. In my ears, my nostrils, my eyes, holes I didn¡¯t even know I had. It was a lot like water but there was just more of a ¡®presence¡¯ to it. I could feel it against me.


    Cool, rejuvenating, and very slightly viscous. It also dried quickly the moment you came out and didn¡¯t seem to like being apart from itself. There was probably a good reason I¡¯d only heard of healing tanks and not something you could drink or spray on. It simply didn¡¯t act like a liquid that would work that way.


    And I hated it. Although less than I did yesterday.


    A soft ding, cold concrete, and a white belt, underwear, and gi on a chair.


    Same as yesterday and the day before then.


    I walked up the stairs, my eyes drawn to the area around me. It had quickly become normal, but spending a few days in one area would do that. I grimaced. I wasn¡¯t always a homeless bum. I¡¯d had a job and a shitty ¡®apartment¡¯. It was by far, worse than living on an island with a house. I had no idea how people lived that way for their whole lives. When I¡¯d finally stopped working and couldn¡¯t pay rent, I started to understand. The wilderness was too dangerous for any normal person, let alone me, and living homeless in the city was¡­ rough.


    Very rough.


    This city had destroyed its wilderness, put human civilization over it like a toxic poison, and then made it nearly unlivable. And then got angry at those less fortunate that were just trying to survive because they were dirty and ¡®uncivilized¡¯. Well, at least the people did with me. I¡¯d seen strong beggars that others had both given generously to and avoided like the plague, lest they end up dead. Strength above all huh¡­


    And now I had the closest thing to a home. My bed was a healing tank and my days were spent in agony but at least that was better than being spat on and kicked around. And there was even someone that at least somewhat cared for my well being. Adding in the fact that I was making real, tangible progress to getting stronger and this was practically a paradise. It honestly was the best situation I¡¯d been in since¡­ since Vega.


    I was going to kill him. And that started with training till I couldn¡¯t anymore!


    A quick walk brought me to the same room. The punching bag hung there, same as it always did. With a stern expression on my master¡¯s usually casual face, he said the fated words.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°So, master.¡± I said, in between punches.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ am I really the only person you could find to¡­ kill whoever this person you want dead is?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re not the first student I¡¯ve trained.¡± He said, raising an eyebrow in slight disbelief. ¡°None of the others made it that far though. Like I said yesterday, people rarely live up to their potential.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    That put a damper on things for a bit. It made me feel¡­ far less unique. So I wasn¡¯t the only one that master had trained and the rest just¡­ hadn¡¯t made it? Is that what awaited me if I didn¡¯t go far enough, try hard enough? To ¡°only¡± get a little strong but never reach the levels I needed to beat Vega?


    I hadn¡¯t thought about that or considered it. About what would happen one day if I¡­ actually grew any stronger. What would I do if I finally grew stronger, only to reach the level of the gang members that had nearly killed me? What could I do? My life would be a lot easier since I¡¯d finally reach the level of a normal human but¡­ but I¡¯d be so far away from my goal. Would it really be any different¡­ than being this weak? One or a hundred¡­ what did it matter if I couldn¡¯t reach the heights I needed to achieve?


    ¡°Get your head out of the clouds and punch the bag. Harder. Faster.¡±


    I focused back up. It didn¡¯t matter. I would break those limits if I reached them, just like I would break this one now!


    ******


    I¡­ I woke up again.


    Today felt, off. The liquid came in and out and I floated in a daze before finally being practically forced out. It must¡¯ve been on some sort of timer or something. I went slow today. I wasn¡¯t feeling as good as I had before. My body was fine but my mind¡­ this was difficult. This was so difficult. But it would all be worth it.


    I did some stretches, a lot of stretches, before finally putting my clothes on.


    Cold concrete, white clothes, stairs.


    Never any socks or shoes. Not even any sandals. Should I ask for some?


    I shook my head, following the same pattern as always.


    This time, when I looked at the bag and my master, the only thing I had on my face was a grimace.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    Those words felt like shards of glass scraping against my soul. I breathed deep, letting it out slowly, before firming up. Just another day. Another few days and surely, there¡¯d be a change. I glanced at the number at the top of my head real quick to see if there had been any change.


    [1]


    Right. Of course not. I had to keep going. Onwards. I had to break these limits!


    .


    .


    .


    ¡°Master¡­ don¡¯t you get bored just standing there?¡±


    ¡°Eh, I¡¯ve had to stand for longer doing worse. Once, I had to stand in a rainstorm of falling meteorites that tore off chunks of me and poisoned the air for thirty eight days. I was entirely purple by the end of it. Couldn¡¯t move a single muscle the whole time.¡±


    ¡°Wh- but why?¡±


    ¡°Oh, someone with some real balls hit me with a paralyzation array. Real fancy piece of magic. Anyway, yeah, they¡¯d timed it right with the meteor storm. Well, maybe it was man made? Never found out one way or other but it¡¯s kinda hard to tell. Lots of interesting pieces of nature out there.¡±


    Once again I was left mostly stunned by some casual words. Wait, was magic real? I knew there was Ki but¡­ was magic real? How was it different from Ki?


    My head hurt.


    I punched.


    *****


    I¡­ I was so tired today. I hadn¡¯t even gotten out of the healing tank and I already felt like I wanted to go back inside. What was once awful was now starting to feel really comforting. I just¡­ I just wanted to go to bed. But I had just woken up¡­


    I stumbled out of the tank as it drained and released.


    My body felt great, as it always did nowadays. Like all the time I¡¯d been abusing it had vanished. I felt healthier than I had in years. But I also felt¡­ so tired. The healing tank, apparently, didn¡¯t heal my mind.


    This was so hard. Every day, just, just endless punching and destroying my muscles. So much exhaustion every day. I looked down at my knuckles. They hurt. Phantom pain. Even now, healed up, they hurt. My body wasn¡¯t the same one I¡¯d entered this place with. I wasn¡¯t exactly strong enough to punch hard enough to leave calluses or scars but still, there was some change. The skin looked a little different than the rest. Who knows, maybe in a few months I might actually develop slightly stronger knuckles. I breathed deeper, my body felt better, my heart beat steadier. If nothing else¡­ I was getting used to it all.


    But¡­


    [1]


    It was the same.


    No matter how much I adapted, I wasn¡¯t really growing stronger without that. My durability would remain the same, how much I could lift, my speed, my stamina, this world usually rewarded constant exercise with power but it had never done anything for me. Without that¡­ you could work out all your life and there¡¯d be no change. Even now, it simply¡­ conditioned me better to do more. That was still good. That was good¡­


    Tired.


    Cold concrete, white clothes, stairs, and-


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    I didn¡¯t whimper. I didn¡¯t. But a single tear may have rolled down my eye as I looked at the bag and heard those words.


    Just¡­ how long was I going to have to do this?


    *****


    Tired. Tired. I leaned against the tank, barely able to stand. The pod had drained. Nothing was wrong with my body but¡­ but I was so tired. I wanted to sleep for a week. I¡¯d never been so tired in my entire life.


    Deep, deep breaths. I glanced upwards.


    [1]


    No change.


    This was, this was intense. Every day was like the first day. Every single day. None of it was getting that much easier. No, no in fact¡­ it was getting harder every day. It was, the work was endless. My body hurt, the sweat, the feeling of exhaustion, my blood starting to feel more like it was pumping lead, my heart beating so hard, my arms feeling like they¡¯d fall off, all of it, every day, again and again.


    It hurt. It sucked. How long had it been? I, I felt like I¡¯d been doing this forever¡­


    White clothes, cold concrete, stairs.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    Fear and¡­ something else arose up in me. Ah. I¡¯d felt this one before.


    Despair.


    *****


    [1]


    White clothes.


    Concrete.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    I did. I felt like I was an exhausted human piloting a robot. So tired. So, so, boring. It was just, just endless punching. On and on and on and on and on. Over and over again. Till I fell. Till my muscles pulled wrong. And then right back up again, in pain, doing it over and over and over again. So much time to think, so little to think about. Tiring but not stimulating. Drudgery.


    ¡°Master¡­ when¡­ when are we going to stop?¡±


    ¡°Stop?¡± My master raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m so tired.¡±


    I put my arms down. I stopped punching, looking at my master.


    He frowned.


    ¡°Then leave.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­ please.¡±


    ¡°I will make you strong but I told you. You have to do your best. If you want to quit, then go quit. I don¡¯t need someone with such a weak will. No, I can¡¯t have someone with such a weak will. Do I look like I have that kind of time left? Do you think killing Vega is going to be easy? Do you think he did training this easy? You either toughen up or you give up. Which one is it going to be?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    I looked at the punching bag. Hatred flared but¡­ it was dark, bored, and tired. More like an oil or a poison in my blood than a flame.


    I punched.


    ¡°Harder.¡±


    I punched harder.


    ¡°Faster.¡±


    I punched faster.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    I punched it.


    The days¡­ the days began to blend together.

 Chapter 8: Day ???

    I fell. The cold concrete met my face. No thoughts existed.


    Cold concrete.


    White clothes.


    [1]


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    The same. Every day.


    *****


    Cold concrete.


    White clothes.


    [1]


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    ******


    Cold Concrete.


    White Clothes.


    [1]


    ¡°Punch It.¡±


    *****


    Cold Concrete


    *****


    White Clothes


    *****


    [1]


    *****


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    *****


    ¡­.


    *****


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    *****


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    *****


    Hard. So hard. Move. Gotta move. Gotta move. Gotta¡­ Move¡­


    Punch it. Gotta punch it. Punch it. Punch it. Punch¡­ it¡­


    [1]


    ¡°Are you going to stare at the bag all day? P-¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No? You-¡± He spoke, but I couldn¡¯t listen. I couldn¡¯t see. Body¡­ so hard. I¡­


    I¡­


    Cold concrete. Light. Face.


    ¡°Get up. We¡¯re not done yet. You haven¡¯t even punched the bag today.¡±


    ¡°Tired.¡± A voice said. It sounded tired.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t enough.¡±


    ¡°Tired.¡±


    The face frowned. I couldn¡¯t see. Nothing was in focus. Who was talking to me? Tired. Tired. Tired. Tired.


    Muffled words. I couldn¡¯t hear them. So tired.


    Change. Different. Weird feeling. Like-


    ¡°Vega will kill you.¡±


    The words shot down my spine, hitting me like a spark hitting tinder. Seeped in freezing water, like suddenly finding myself in an ice bath. I think I could see fog coming out my mouth. Those words had been said before but¡­ but now I heard and felt them. The Truth of them.


    Vega was going to kill me. Even if I saw him with the same level of strength, even with ten times as much strength, he¡¯d kill me. I¡­ I wasn¡¯t strong enough. Not my body, not my form or techniques, me. Mutai. I was too weak. In all the ways that mattered.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to kill him?¡±


    ¡°He killed¡­ my family. He¡­ he took them all away.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    Something sputtered and flickered inside me. My empty mind blanked harder. I didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°So what? He killed your family.¡±


    My heart ached, it hurt, it hurt so much at those words, spoken like they were words from god. The truth in them. The-


    ¡°Why does it matter?¡±


    ¡°I- They were my family.¡±


    ¡°And they¡¯re dead.¡±


    That piece of me flickered and glowed.


    ¡°What, what are you saying?¡±


    My eyes focused, finally seeing master. His cold blue eyes staring into me. His aura pressing down unto me. His nonchalant, casual expression peering down at me.


    ¡°People die, family members are lost. Natural disasters, old age, sickness and disease. What, you¡¯re going to fight all of those too? Tell me how well punching a storm or a tidal wave goes. I¡¯ll personally buy you a beer if you can punch old age, considering. We all die Mutai. Your family died easier and earlier than most. And I bet all of them didn¡¯t even go by Vega. You really never lost a grandparent or two growing up?¡±


    He snorted as if that was ridiculous.


    ¡°You want a family so bad Mutai? Just go get another one. Stop pining after what¡¯s gone already.¡±


    His words¡­ casual. Everything about master was casual. Uncaring. Airy. As if nothing had importance. He stuck his pinky finger in his ear, cleaning the wax, seemingly done with the conversation.


    He¡­ he¡­


    The spark ignited into something rare.


    Rage.


    ¡°Fuck. You.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    I was on my feet, staring into those cold eyes, finally seeing them for what they really were.


    Dead eyes. How much did this old man care about anything anymore?


    ¡°My family mattered! They were taken from me! By an evil monster! I will kill him!¡±


    He snorted.


    ¡°Not going to bring your family back. Not even what they would¡¯ve wanted either ya know?¡±


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what they want! It¡¯s not about them!¡±


    My words reverberated in the empty room, seemingly coming back and punching me in the face. Echoing the words that had been buried deep inside me all this time.


    ¡°Vega¡­ he¡­ he tore me away from my life! From my paradise! I was happy. I had a future! I¡­ I was the real Mutai! And now I¡¯m, I¡¯m, I¡¯m this thing! I know about taxes, I use technology, I feel good in a healing tank and every fucking second of every fucking day I miss what I¡¯ve lost. Every single day since then¡­ has been miserable! He didn¡¯t just kill my family¡­ he took me away from me. He killed the best and happiest parts of me. He ruined my life!¡±


    I was breathing heavily, hyperventilating, staring into a still uncaring face. I¡¯d vented what this was really about. I missed my family¡­ I missed them so dearly. And this was for them but¡­ but¡­ it wasn¡¯t¡­ the only reason Vega had to die. He¡¯d hurt me so bad, that the wound could never recover. Every day was the same damn shit. Over and over again. Of course I¡¯d thought about going back or going to a different island. Relaxing, finding another village like mine, starting a new family, getting away, giving up.


    I couldn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t. It was like I¡¯d been poisoned and even the thought of trying hurt more than anything else ever could. Even dying would be preferable to even attempting that. I¡¯d be spitting not just on my family¡¯s grave, but my own life. As if¡­ as if everything that had happened before was just a bad dream.


    What¡­. What was the point of all of my suffering if I just gave up?


    I couldn¡¯t do that to myself. Death would have to come first.


    I¡¯d kill Vega, I¡¯d destroy him, rip him apart. Tear him to shreds for destroying who I am and who I was. I¡¯d murder him! I¡¯d tear every single bone from his body till he was nothing more than a stain on the ground, bleeding out. Rip and tear and rip and tear until it was done. I¡¯d-


    ¡°That sounds like a you problem.¡± My master said.


    For a moment, my mind blanked white.


    The next, I was throwing a punch.


    It hit the side of the old bastard¡¯s face with only barely a ripple.


    He raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Faster. Harder.¡± He simply said, as if we were just training.


    The rage only grew, like an inferno. How- How dare he! I roared as I waylaid into him. There was no saving stamina, no going steady or slowly, no sense to it. I threw punches as hard and fast as I could, raining blows down onto his stupid, smug, uncaring face. Over and over again! I¡¯d break it, I¡¯d break him, I¡¯d kill him! How dare he say that about my family, about me!


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    ¡°With ease I suppose?¡±


    ¡°AHHHHHH!!!!!!¡±


    I punched and punched, as if he was the same punching bag I¡¯d had to beat relentlessly. It was worse than punching in my dreams, it was worse than any dream I¡¯d had of Vega. I was so weak, his face barely even moved. It was more like I was hitting a steel wall with a pillow than fists that had been training relentlessly.


    It was a long time. A very long time. I punched and punched and punched.


    The rage didn¡¯t die for a long, long while.


    But my mind¡­ my stamina¡­ It couldn¡¯t keep up with the rest of me. I could feel my muscles tearing, feel my bones crack against his face, feel the heat pour through my blood and down through my body, as my lungs pushed air like bellows as I yelled in his face and punched and punched. Over and over again.


    ¡°¡®Punch it! Just punch it Mutai!¡¯ Do you have any idea how annoying is it to hear that every single day?!¡±


    ¡°Too bad?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a terrible Master! You barely say two words and make me work out till I practically die!¡±


    ¡°Not like you¡¯re talking too much either? And besides¡­ I told you to do your best. Not my fault this has been your best.¡±


    ¡°You told me you¡¯d make me stronger!¡±


    ¡°And I have.¡±


    My punches didn¡¯t even slow down as he talked but those last words¡­ my rage practically exploded.


    ¡°YOU LIAR! I HAVEN¡¯T GOTTEN ANY STRONGER!¡±


    I threw a punch. It was the same as any other but it felt¡­ different.


    I-


    ¡°Fuck!¡± My hand! It, it hurt! White hot agony shot up as I collapsed. And that was like the start of a cascade. I couldn¡¯t breathe, I couldn¡¯t move. As if my whole body had locked up all at once. My blood felt like slow moving oil as it coursed through my veins. Even my rage seemed to slowly wither and die, as reality made itself known.


    I fell flat on my back, eyes staring up at the ceiling, paralyzed, unable to move. Breathing was painful. Everything was painful. My body felt like it was¡­ cracking apart. No, like it had been cracked apart. What had I done to it?


    No. Wait. What, what had I been doing? I had¡­ I had attacked the old man. I had tried to, had wanted to, kill him.


    The pain radiating through me made itself known as I screamed a silent scream.


    I had attacked the old man and somehow broke my own body apart in the process. Is this really, the height of power? The difference in power? Will I¡­ ever be able to reach such a thing?


    I stared upwards, the number floating in my vision.


    The same as always.


    [1]


    Stronger? I hadn¡¯t gotten any stronger. I was still just Mutai. Weak. Doomed. I wouldn¡¯t, I couldn¡¯t stop, but that just meant I was doomed to die. My family¡­ my revenge!... I¡¯d¡­ never get it at this rate. Master would throw me out now. I¡¯d attacked him. I¡¯d be lucky enough to be able to move ever again without that healing tank.


    Is this¡­ is this the end of me?


    ¡°Congratulations.¡± Master¡¯s words broke me out of my thoughts. ¡°You¡¯ve finally done it. Only took you¡­ three weeks? Around there. Pretty slow but, whatever. Then again I was starting to think you¡¯d never break through that damn wall.¡±


    I looked up at master, confused, before staring back at my number.


    [1]


    ¡°Master¡­¡± I said, exhaustion coating my words, afraid he¡¯d just kill me right here and now. In fact, I didn¡¯t understand what was happening at all. ¡°I, haven¡¯t gotten any stronger.¡±


    ¡°You know, that damn power of yours to read power levels is weird.¡± Master said, face casual. I startled. I¡¯d never brought that up before. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s pretty obvious when you don¡¯t wear a Vambrace and keep looking above your own and other people¡¯s heads ya know? Had me thinking I was starting to go bald every time you glanced at me¡­¡±


    I looked at master¡¯s face and only now noticed, that there was a slight smile on it. That was even more unusual than seeing him frown. Had I¡­ ever seen him smile?


    He disappeared. Or at least, he must have, because he was at a different point next to me, holding something sleek in his hand.


    ¡°Clearly, whatever weirdness you have has some flaws. I guess it rounds down.¡±


    He strapped something that looked like a Vambrace to my arm but¡­ smaller. Sleeker. More high tech. It seemed to have different menus and settings, looking more modern than anything like my old Vambrace. Master clicked ¡®power reading¡¯ for me and the numbers flickered up and down for a while, before finally:


    [1.01]


    I stared, my pupils shaking, my breathing going erratic, my heart beating like a drum and pounding in my ears. The world fell away as I stared and stared.


    For anyone else, for anyone else, this wouldn¡¯t have mattered.


    All my life, all of my life, I¡¯d been at one. The weakest anyone could realistically get. There were children born at higher levels of power. Old people who didn¡¯t just die from a body failing them, had a higher level. I was the weakest person I¡¯d ever known or seen. Permanently stuck at the beginning, a curse. An awful, terrible curse of forever being weak in this horrific world.


    And now¡­ and now¡­


    ¡°I¡­ grew stronger.¡±


    I grew stronger!


    For the first time in my entire life¡­ I¡¯d done it! I¡¯d done it! I did it!


    Even if it was only point zero one, even if it was only a one percent increase, even if I had to go through weeks and weeks of intense suffering to get even a little further every single time. I could do it. I could grow stronger. It wasn¡¯t impossible. I wasn¡¯t stuck and broken. I wasn¡¯t doomed. I could¡­ I could do it.


    My cheeks felt wet and my vision blurred. Tears streamed down my face.


    ¡°I can do it.¡±


    ¡°Yup! It¡¯s actually possible, phew. Was starting to get really worried there ya know?¡± Master said, still staring down at me.


    Oh no. Master.


    ¡°Master¡­ I¡¯m so sorry. I-¡±


    ¡°Blah blah blah, if I cared about a weakling like you hitting me a bit I¡¯d be insane. Now,¡± Master said, before grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder, causing a very verbal scream to echo out of me from the pain. ¡°Your body practically destroyed itself breaking through that wall. Probably going to take two full days in the healing tank. Well, if we don¡¯t want to risk resetting your progress at least. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s got a nutrition and bathroom system. It¡¯s meant to be a medical device ya know? Anyway, after that, we can get back to punching the bag.¡±


    My heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°Punching¡­ the bag?¡±


    ¡°Well duh. Of course. Now that the training is actually useful, we aren¡¯t going to stop it.


    ¡°C-Can¡¯t we do anything else?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm no. You¡¯re not strong enough to do any of the other trainings I have in mind. Not like I have a track in this dojo. No, it¡¯s the bag for you.¡±


    My thoughts filled with the knowledge that not only would I need to spend two days in a healing tank¡­ but I¡¯d be going right back to punching that stupid bag afterwards.


    ¡°M-Master! S-surely we could take a break right? I, I¡¯ve been training so hard after all¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you think the two days in the healing tank are for? I mean, getting injured is a pretty good way to take a break. Oh, but don¡¯t try to do it on purpose you pansy. We¡¯re trying to make you strong here after all. Not that you could normally damage yourself much.¡±


    My soul cringed, hard. Then, did that mean¡­ I¡¯d only ever get a break if I was injured?! I¡¯d have to just relentlessly train, over and over again, only stopping when my body was broken. And even then, I¡¯d usually be right back into it the next day unless I overdid it¡­


    Training till injury, over and over and over again¡­ Forever. Or at least till Master was satisfied.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Now come on, faster you¡¯re in the faster I can go and binge some TV for the next two days. Been missing all my favorite shows training you. Sherlock Sluts is coming on and I want to know who killed Patty. It¡¯s the season finale ya know?¡±


    I sighed. Truly¡­ master was an enigma.

 Chapter 9: Explosive Growth!

    ¡°Hahaha! I can feel it! Power¡­ Overflowing!¡±


    ¡°Would you calm down? You¡¯re being ridiculous.¡±


    Master huffed at me but he didn¡¯t understand. I had grown stronger. I¡¯d spent over two days in the healing tank and it had been amazing. I¡¯d been so tired that any time I opened my eyes, I¡¯d just gone back to bed. Feeling the cool liquid envelop me, floating there, breathing it in and out¡­ truly, I¡¯d been going about things all wrong. Being in the tank while awake was just so relaxing. It turned out I¡¯d been completely wrong. If you just took a bit more time, the healing tank could heal mental exhaustion. At least, it could be so utterly relaxing that it felt like it did.


    But by the end I¡¯d been more than ready, practically wanting to tear myself out of it. I was stronger now. So, so much stronger. I could feel it, utterly. My fist hit the punching bag and I could feel my fist hitting it harder. Feel the resistance from my skin and bones being higher. But that wasn¡¯t the only change. I could feel my blood pump smoother, my lungs breathe easier, everything felt so cataclysmically different.


    I felt like a whole new creature!


    I felt so much stronger now!


    ¡°Master! Why, why do I feel so much more powerful?!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Well, you know, people change every day. Weight goes up and down between a few pounds just from food alone, your inner temperature raises and lowers constantly, even the amount of blood in the body has micro changes. There is nothing that stays 100% stagnant. For most of your life, your power level has been the exact same. Even a minor change must feel like a dawn in the night.¡±


    I stopped, staring at Master.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just, that feels like the first time you¡¯ve actually taught me anything.¡±


    Master huffed in annoyance.


    ¡°What, am I supposed to hold your hand and wipe your ass too? Ask more questions if you want more knowledge. Punch the stupid bag.¡±


    I did. I could feel a massive grin practically overflowing on my face. It might have only been an increase of .01¡­ but it felt like I could lift mountains now. It wasn¡¯t just the increase in power¡­ it was my mind. I¡¯d really thought¡­ I think I had begun to really think it was impossible. That I¡¯d never get stronger. That I was just going to keep trying till I died and that was it.


    And now!


    And Now!


    I could feel my heart beating so fast, like a war drum. My fists slammed again and again into the bag, doing nothing, but I didn¡¯t care. I could feel the force in them, the power. I was going to get stronger! I was going to become so powerful that I¡¯d tear Vega apart! I, I could do it!


    ¡°Slow down.¡±


    The command was so surprising I nearly tripped.


    ¡°W-What?¡±


    I looked back at Master.


    Had he gone insane? What was this? Hadn¡¯t he always been telling me to go harder and faster?


    ¡°The training has changed. Destroying your body isn¡¯t the most efficient way now that you¡¯re not trying to break through a wall. We¡¯re going to begin working on your endurance.¡±


    I stared in shock, before nodding. It was different, but I couldn¡¯t expect the training to always be the same. Sometimes things changed. I went back to punching the bag, some of the fervor dying down. I still had a long ways to go.


    And the only reason I¡¯d gotten this far¡­ the only person who had done this all for me¡­


    Was incredibly unwanting of gratitude.


    I¡¯d tried the first second I¡¯d gotten out of the chamber, to bow and thank him and more, only for him to get grumpier and grumpier, till he practically ordered me to get to the hitting the bag. Master was kind, but he certainly didn¡¯t want any thanks for what he did.


    But I was thankful. I owed him. He¡¯d gone above and beyond for me, just some random hobo dying in the street. I¡¯d get strong enough for him. I¡¯d listen, train, and grow as best I can. He believed in me when no one else ever did.


    And speaking of¡­ he said I could ask questions right? Actually, he¡¯d always answered anything I¡¯d asked pretty fully. So¡­


    ¡°Master, what do you mean by a wall? You¡¯ve mentioned it a few times now.¡±


    And he had, saying I¡¯d broken through it. I could understand through context clues, that there¡¯d been some kind of natural barrier between me and strength. I just didn¡¯t understand why or what it was.


    ¡°What? This is basic knowledge. Did you not have school where you grew up?¡±


    ¡°I uh, I was homeschooled.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡± My master said.


    I grimaced.


    ¡°I thought my parents did a pretty okay job¡­¡±


    ¡°And let me guess,¡± Master sighed. ¡°Your parents knew from early on what your power level was. And tried to hide it from you?¡±


    I blinked.


    ¡°Uh, yes actually.¡±


    Master sighed again, hard.


    ¡°This is going to be a long one,¡± Master mumbled to himself, before speaking to me. ¡°A wall is a natural barrier everyone runs into. Everyone. I¡¯ve never heard of anyone or anything not running into it. At some point, your power level slows down and then stops. Stops growing and then stagnates. With enough effort, it can be broken. There¡¯s always another wall until you finally reach the height of your potential. You were born with a wall. Never seen that one before.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    As I felt my fists reverberate from the bag, I took that information in. Had my parents known? No, maybe not. They¡¯d probably known about walls¡­ but how many people actually reached them? Probably only fighters and trainers. Who would ever think you could be born at one?


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, realizing something. ¡°You knew I was at a wall? Not just¡­ stuck at power level one?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Master said, scratching his chin from the corner of my eye. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone stuck at [1] forever or born with a wall, so, eh, I figured it was the second. Was willing to give it a few more months before giving up.¡±


    ¡°Truly¡­ Master¡¯s patience for me is incredible.¡±


    Master blanched.


    ¡°Punch the bag and stop doing that. It makes my skin crawl.¡±


    ¡°...being nice?¡±


    ¡°Acting like anything less than a proud warrior.¡±


    I kept training, thinking on that. The answer was obvious. Master must not run into a lot of happy or nice people. I could relate, this city sometimes felt like it was only full of terrible people and gang members. Still, if I couldn¡¯t thank him with words, I¡¯d just have to settle for action.


    The training continued and I felt energized in body, mind, and spirit. Just had to throw a million more punches and I¡¯d probably reach at least power level two. That¡­ that would be an amazing day. But it was going to take a damn near lifetime of effort. If it took me three weeks of grueling training just for a .01 increase, then it would probably take me years.


    But that didn¡¯t slow me down, if anything, it just made me go harder and faster.


    Even if took years or decades, I could get there. I could do it. I¡¯d punch and punch and-


    I froze. A light sound went off on my arm but I didn¡¯t pay attention to that as it felt like my whole body was¡­ vibrating. No, improving. Growing! W-What was going on?! I stared at my arm in shock, seeing something that made me feel like I was on the edge of a panic attack. I hadn¡¯t taken off the Vambrace master had given me. I¡¯d just left it there and now¡­ the screen had changed.


    [1.02]


    ¡°M¡­ Master!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The¡­ my¡­ my power level! It¡­ it went up again!¡±


    ¡°Yes. Maybe I really should explain things more¡­¡± He mumbled. ¡°You were at a wall. Now you¡¯re not. You¡¯re going to see a lot of growth now.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ but why?! What?¡±


    ¡°Keep punching the bag while I explain what children learn around the same time they can walk.¡±


    I did so, having to force myself to tear my eyes away from the Vambrace. My fists¡­ they were hitting so much harder. It was only a two percent increase¡­ and yet I felt I could destroy my old self. Maybe that wasn¡¯t really true¡­ but that¡¯s certainly how it felt. Every change was like a bomb going off inside me, I even felt as if I was moving faster now, with both my eyes and my punches. Even my hearing felt better.


    ¡°So.¡± Master started. ¡°Power levels are a combination of all you are. It¡¯s a representation. There can be differences, people who are faster in one area, more enduring in another, stronger, etc. But it only shows a representation of a combination. There could be a power level of [9] that could hit harder than a [10] and so on and so forth. Power level is holistic though, you can improve the strength in your arms so much that you become twice as fast on your feet, your bones are twice as durable, and so on. Just awful in terms of actual efficiency. Good way to stagnate your power level really. Anyway, one of the reasons your power level was even below children is because all combined, you have less than everything. Speed, strength, durability, etc.¡±


    I absorbed master¡¯s lesson as I continued punching, thinking about it. I had never really considered it like that, but it wasn¡¯t anything I didn¡¯t really know. But it still didn¡¯t explain my rapid power increase!


    ¡°But your body,¡± Master started. ¡°It¡¯s still a healthy twenty something. Probably. How old are you anyway? Doesn¡¯t matter. The point is that it¡¯s definitely healthy, the healing tank and needle nutrition-¡±


    I shuddered at those memories. I really hoped I could start eating actual food and drinking actual water now¡­


    ¡°-has made sure of that. Sometimes, even if an old person manages to break through a wall, they don¡¯t have the actual life force left to continue making any kind of improvements. Power has an age limit for most. And finally, after every wall, there¡¯s usually a period of explosive growth. You shouldn¡¯t see yourself as being the weakling you were. You¡¯re like someone just born, shoved into a twenty year old body, that just broke a wall. Your gains are going to be-¡±


    Another sudden change rocked me. The Vambrace changed, making noise as the numbers changed.


    [1.03]


    ¡°-pretty fast.¡±


    I gaped like a fish. I¡­ I was now like everyone else? No. No, even that wasn¡¯t right. If anything¡­ my growth for a little while would be even faster than anyone else while my power level and body tried to catch up to each other. It was¡­ I was like one of those old cars! The engine had been broken in me but now that it was fixed¡­


    I hit the punching bag harder, faster. All those weeks worth of grueling training were now paying off. All those years of misery were now paying off! I¡­ I was going to grow so much faster than I thought! Years? Decades? Maybe¡­ maybe to reach Vega still, yeah.


    But not to grow in power at all.


    The hours wore on and every change felt like an impossibly growing storm. I laughed like a maniac as sweat dripped down my body, as my lungs huffed and puffed and sucked air in and out, as my blood lit up like a fire and adrenaline roared through me and me along with it.


    I tried, I tried to listen to Master telling me to go easier, to go slower, but it was so hard! I wanted, I wanted to go all the way! To push beyond! To go even further beyond!


    To meet that Horizon and see beyond it.


    The day wore on, the hours went by, and I only passed out twice. An IV in my arm both times for dehydration and more shots for food. My muscles barely even felt torn! I could keep going for so much longer, even if I got so exhausted my fists felt like weak slaps of a feather at best.


    But the gains¡­ the gains!


    1.04¡­1.05¡­1.06¡­1.08¡­1.10¡­


    ¡­1.13¡­1.16¡­1.19¡­


    [1.25]


    One day. It had only been one easy training day¡­ and I was already 25% stronger. It felt like I was living a fever dream. That wasn¡¯t just some number on a screen. I could feel those changes. I felt¡­ almost inhuman. This level of strength made me feel like a god. And I hadn¡¯t even begun to approach the average level of [5] that most people had as an adult. How¡­ how did people go around feeling like this all the time? So¡­ so powerful¡­


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve certainly never seen anyone be in awe of being at that level of power. There¡¯s a first time for everything I suppose.¡± Master said.


    ¡°Master! Thank you so-¡±


    ¡°No. Shut up. For once¡­ you¡¯re actually able to walk yourself there. Go get in the healing tank.¡±


    I blinked.


    ¡°But, Master. I feel fine. I could even keep going! We could go throughout the night!¡±


    ¡°While your change in attitude is amusing, no. There¡¯s a reason we have you heal constantly, it¡¯s because we¡¯re breaking you. Now go to bed. We have an early day tomorrow. Another week or two of this¡­ and you might be ready for something new.¡±


    My heart beat like a storm. The endless days of punching a bag weren¡¯t over¡­ but soon there¡¯d be a change. How would I¡­ what would I even be like after another week of this? Let alone two? I could hardly imagine¡­


    ¡°What will we be doing?¡±


    Master smiled, but in a way that sent a shiver up my spine.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll see.¡±


    Even through the joy of power¡­ I still had a sudden fear in my heart.


    Surely¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be that bad though right?

 Chapter 10: A Shocking Discovery!

    Cold concrete.


    White clothes


    But today wasn¡¯t like the others. Three days. I¡¯d kept going for three days and the change in pace had been relieving but¡­ frustrating. I could feel myself growing stronger, unlike anything I¡¯d ever experienced in my whole life. It was intoxicating, like a drug. I put on my clothes and they felt lighter. My whole body moved faster, stronger. I could breathe easier. And the most shocking change was during my workout. It felt¡­ so much easier. The bag still stood steady, but now hitting it hurt less. My endurance lasted longer. Every single part of me was just¡­ different. Changed. I even saw the punching bag sway when I hit it as hard as I could.


    And that wasn¡¯t the only change.


    For the first time since I got here, I sat down on the chair, just taking a moment.


    And looking up.


    [2]


    Two. My power level¡­ was at two. My whole life, it¡¯d been at one. My whole life I¡¯d never even known the exact number. I still remember thinking it¡¯d be at three or two when I¡¯d first put on my family¡¯s Vambrace out of curiosity. On that fateful day. How I¡¯d only seen the number one as amusing.


    And then¡­ the pain. The years of pain. Of being the weakest creature in an ecosystem of predators, whether they be human or not. Of trying to adapt. Of the snarky responses, the looks, the difficulty of getting a job in any place. Of being looked down upon, of being made lesser than, of being¡­ weak.


    Of seeing a number, mocking me, floating over my head, and never leaving me, always reminding me of my failure as a creature. My failure no matter how hard I trained or worked out or tried or sought improvement.


    Of dying, as my blood poured out on the ground from picking a fight I could never have won. As death came for me. Because I was too weak.


    And now¡­ I was twice as strong, as powerful, as durable. I¡¯d barely been 20% human¡­ and now I was 40%.


    Tears welled up in my eyes.


    I was still weak. So weak. But I wasn¡¯t¡­ the same. The difference between [1] and [2]... it was more than just a doubling. People would still look at me with shock and disgust, I¡¯d still lose in a fight, I was still the weakest¡­ but it meant that for as long as I lived, my number would never go down.


    It meant¡­ the death of Mutai, power level [1], who couldn¡¯t save his family. Who could never improve. Who would die in a gutter as a drunk hobo.


    I had become Mutai, Power Level [2], martial arts student, Warrior, and future killer of Vega.


    I breathed in. I breathed deep. And then slowly, I let it out.


    I clenched my fist, feeling the power, looking at it. I could do this. I could do it. No. No, I knew that already.


    I smiled.


    I will do it.


    *****


    ¡°Faster. Harder. Punch it.¡±


    It was the first time in a while that I¡¯d heard those words. It¡¯d been a week now and the changes were shocking and unbelievable.


    [3.33]


    I was really learning to value this new Vambrace my Master had gifted me. Without it, I¡¯d only know I was at [3].


    Heh. Only. As if that wasn¡¯t literally life changing. Then again, I could certainly feel the difference now.


    No longer did the punching bag stand there silently like an obelisk out of hell as I rained down my fury upon it. Now, it swayed and moved, even if only barely, from every single one of my punches. I had nearly choked up with emotion at seeing how far I¡¯d come. The current me could take on three of the past me. Maybe more. My strength felt incredible. I¡¯d actually opened a door the other day before training, when Master had asked me to fetch him some¡­ odd¡­ magazines. And it¡¯d felt so light! Were doors not meant to be heavy?


    Every day was learning a new experience. It felt like I was actually turning into a human, or more like, that I¡¯d never truly realized how separate I was from everyone else. That I¡¯d all along been some kind of otherwordly creature and only now was I waking up and becoming what I was always meant to be.


    That thought soured me as I took it to its logical conclusion.


    It was one thing to feel human¡­ but what if I was above something? I¡¯d only ever been ¡®stronger¡¯ than insects and even then, not all of them. Most animals, besides the truly pitiful, could annihilate me. Even a cat or dog probably could¡¯ve won. What would it be like if I had a power level in the triple digits? Or even in the quadruple? As far as I knew, only Vega had that and even then¡­ it was practically at quintuple.


    Would I see humans the same then? Did others see humans the same then? Was the reason Vega was so horrifically evil¡­ because he barely even thought of the rest of the people like humans? Did he see them as below insects? What would it be like, if mountains weighed the same as doors and a wave of your hand could destroy a civilization? What did that do to a person? What would do that to me?


    ¡°Get your heads out of the clouds.¡± My Master¡¯s voice shook me awake.


    I glanced, habitually, at my power level. Only to blink in surprise.


    [3.52]


    ¡°Master¡­ is this level of growth normal?¡±


    The first few days had been the same .25 increase, more or less. But the rest had grown bigger and bigger. It felt crazy to me that it hadn¡¯t been half a day and already my growth was twenty times what had caused me to feel so incredibly strong just a week ago. I felt like I could¡¯ve stopped and marveled at my own body and power for years and enjoyed and discovered new facets about it forever.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    But of course, there was no time to slow down. I needed more power. I could rest on my laurels and explore it later. Right now, I still needed to gain as much as I possibly could. But still, it felt like my growth was incredible right now.


    Master waved his hand back and forth in an ¡®ehh¡¯ gesture.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. Most people grow into an average of five by the time they¡¯re an adult. Some children are born stronger than that. So it¡¯s hard to say if your body is just catching up or not and it¡¯ll become more regular at the average or that it¡¯s going to keep going past that point till it naturally slows down.¡±


    ¡°I see, so¡­ we¡¯ll know more at power level five?¡±


    ¡°Around there. Something like that.¡±


    One of the things I had stopped slacking off on, was asking questions while I worked out with master. He was a wealth of information. It was only too bad I didn¡¯t know what to ask. I¡¯d tried asking about Ki but¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not strong enough to worry about Ki.¡±


    And that had been that. Master had a literal lifetime of experience in both teaching and fighting. Who was I to say I knew better? So, I¡¯d just have to learn about Ki when I got stronger. Stronger. It put a smile on my face. No longer was that just a dream and a hope. It was a reality I was really living. No matter how frequently or how often I¡¯d look at the number above my head, I¡¯d always be happy.


    ¡°And there¡¯s the problem.¡± Master said.


    What?


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Walk with me Mutai.¡±


    We left the training room, which felt bizarre in its own way. I¡¯d always woken up and left at the beginning and end of the day, minus that one time master asked me to get him some magazines. That bizarre feeling only heightened as we turned right for once, exiting into the dojo proper, where I¡¯d sat on a mat and Master had agreed to make me stronger.


    But I was floored when we kept going. Right outside the main doors.


    For the first time in probably over a month¡­ I was outside.


    Somehow, in that single month alone, the world felt different. Honestly, I didn¡¯t even really know where we were. I hadn¡¯t expected the Dojo to be on some secret hidden mountain but all I saw was a dirty alleyway.


    ¡°Master¡­ is this the back entrance?¡±


    ¡°Nah, this is the only one. Makes it easier to keep people out.¡±


    Master had clearly decided less was more¡­ and that obscurity via decline was the best way to hide. The front of the Dojo looked¡­ run down at best. More like it¡¯d been fifty years since it was made and in all that time, no one had cleaned it or taken good care of it. There was graffiti on the side. One that even showed a stick figure drawing that looked like¡­ a woman and donkey were¡­ ah.


    ¡°Master¡­ do you want me to clean this?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? No, not at all. Doing graffiti is fun. I personally made that one.¡± Master said, before pointing at the aforementioned woman and donkey.


    Of course. Why would I ever think Master made sense or did anything but what he wanted?


    ¡°Now come on, time for some real food.¡±


    My mouth began drooling. Food! I hadn¡¯t had food in over a month! Food food food food- Ah. Wait.


    ¡°Master, I haven¡¯t begged on the streets in a long while. I have no money.¡±


    ¡°Bah, I¡¯ll pay for it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Master. I¡¯ll repay you when I can.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m rich, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    I blinked at that. It should have been obvious, given the healing tank and Master owning his own Dojo. Not to mention whatever strength he¡¯d reached. Frankly, it should have been more shocking if he¡¯d been broke. But¡­


    ¡°You choose to live like this?¡±


    Master huffed and continued walking.


    The city was big and I¡¯d been all over it. I knew a lot of the general areas and certain places you just shouldn¡¯t go, ever, at all. That said, I would¡¯ve liked to be able to say I knew where we were at. I didn¡¯t. The city was just that big. It had to have a few million people in it at least. Actually, wait a minute.


    ¡°Master, how many people live in the city?¡±


    ¡°What am I, the internet? Booble it, but it¡¯s probably around fifty million.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t have access to Booble.¡±


    ¡°Do you think your fancy Vambrace is useless? Explore it, it comes with internet access, calls, blah blah. You know they¡¯ve started replacing cell phones these days? So weird¡­ I hate video calling yet now they¡¯re all the rage. I remember back in my day¡­¡±


    I fiddled with it while listening to Master speak of the good ole days. It hurt. It reminded me so much of Cranky Tuwa and the elders at that moment. The way they¡¯d always complain about how things had changed or how good things used to be and how much easier the youth had it now. A timeless classic from the old to the young.


    By the time I found the video call function and how to open the browser, we were on the main street. People passed us by and my eyes were flooded by a sea of numbers, if I focused right.


    [5] Man walking his dog.


    [??] Old guy


    [6] Dog man walking his monkey.


    [6] Fit woman talking on her Vambrace. Master gave her a frown, clearly missing cell phones.


    [??] Rock Golem ice cream vendor


    [2] A young child-


    I stopped and stared.


    [2]


    The number was [2].


    I stared at her. In shock and awe. My heart pounded like a drum and-


    Slowly, Master grabbed my face and turned it away, towards him. He raised an eyebrow, demanding an explanation. His look brooked no argument.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m stronger than her.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Well¡­ never do that again. Or at least stare at adults, like a normal creep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not- Master!¡±


    He chuckled while forcing me to speedwalk to keep up with his pace. But my mind still felt in turmoil.


    Yes. It had been a child¡­ but it was the first time I¡¯d ever known I was stronger than someone else. Anyone else. The very idea, the very fact¡­ it was the first time in twenty years that had ever happened. I could¡­ well I would never¡­ but I could beat her in a fight. That¡­ wasn¡¯t true a month ago.


    I¡¯d never be weaker than children again. Rather than anything like pride¡­ all I felt was existential relief. Children could be worse than gang members if they thought they had an advantage. Now if only I could be stronger than teenagers, I¡¯d really be living large¡­


    We finally reached the hot dog stand and Master got us both ones with everything on it. Not my favorite, I preferred mine with just ketchup, but it was still delicious. It was the first time I¡¯d eaten food in gods knows how long and good food? Well, it wasn¡¯t like beggars were choosers and the homeless had easy meals around¡­


    ¡°So,¡± Master said. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about why you¡¯re about to fail.¡±


    My heart nearly froze.

 Chapter 11: First Real Fight

    ¡°Fail?¡±


    At what? At everything? At my whole life? What did Master mean?


    ¡°Yup.¡± Master said with a mouthful of hot dog. ¡°This is great by the way. But no, yeah. You¡¯re about to fail at your whole goal and at getting stronger and all of that. All at once. Pretty dire actually.¡±


    My heartbeat began to race. Panic began to set in.


    ¡°But, but Master¡­ how? Why? What am I doing wrong?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± He said, taking another bite out of his damn hot dog. Master was always so casual, even at moments like this¡­ where did his sense of urgency go?! Had it died with normalcy as he aged? ¡°Well, it¡¯s really simple actually. You need two things to become stronger. To succeed. In everything really.¡±


    I listened with rapt attention. Even him taking another bite of his food didn¡¯t distract my focus.


    ¡°The first, is Pride.¡±


    ¡°Pride?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You need to have pride. You need to believe you¡¯re worth something and what you do or are trying to do or even going to do, is worth something. But mostly pride in yourself. It¡¯s what makes people rage when someone damages their car or kills people when they feel their dignity is hurt. Without pride you¡¯ll just let things go and move on. What do you care after all? If everything, even yourself, matters to you equally as much as someone stepping on some dirt in a foreign country twenty years ago, you¡¯ll never fight anything.¡±


    ¡°Master. I believe I have Pride-¡±


    ¡°Your pride is shit.¡± Master said, looking slightly angry for once. ¡°It¡¯s truly trash Mutai. But at least it¡¯s there. It exists. It can be developed further and already is, now that you¡¯re no longer the weakling you were. The problem is the second thing.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Alright. What is it?¡±


    ¡°In a word¡­ dissatisfaction.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that. Then both eyebrows as a confused look took over my face. Just, what? What? What on Vega was Master saying?


    ¡°Uhhh, what? Explain, please? Master I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m pretty dissatisfied.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not. Or at least, you¡¯re close to being not. Dissatisfaction isn¡¯t really the right word. More like¡­ pressure. A combination of the two. With only pride but never any dissatisfaction, you¡¯ll rest on your laurels and annihilate any source that bothers you but it won¡¯t be constant enough for you to progress. You¡¯ll become one of those uppity rich people or young masters satisfied with their meager power.¡±


    I blanched. The idea of me becoming either of those kinds of people felt downright sickening.


    ¡°Pressure without pride well, that¡¯s how you get long lasting oppression and also how people will just walk all over you without you ever doing anything back. Conflict avoidance does not a warrior or successful figure make. Anyone who¡¯s ever done anything worth anything, has made enemies and dealt with trash and shit on their way up.¡±


    I thought about it. And realized, horrifyingly, that I had been the second kind of person. That last day¡­ when I¡¯d met that gang¡­ I could have given in. It wouldn¡¯t have been the first time I¡¯d avoided conflict by giving my money or keeping my head down or going along with other people''s demands. Master hadn¡¯t said it, but conflicts also had a way of being¡­ unpleasant and deadly. But that was the point wasn¡¯t it? How could anyone do anything if they avoided conflict at every single turn?


    What would it have been like, if I hadn¡¯t avoided it? Not with the gang who¡¯d nearly killed me, but with people more in the realm of average human? That time another hobo took my money or when that lady had punched me in the gut. What would¡¯ve happened¡­ if I¡¯d actually fought them? Been more aggressive? Even if I¡¯d left with some extreme damage, I might¡¯ve survived. And that might¡¯ve pushed me forward to breaking that wall faster. A year or two of being an aggressive weakling and only picking fights with those at [5] or below¡­ I might¡¯ve already broken through by the time I met that gang.


    My eyes felt opened.


    But wait¡­


    ¡°You think I¡¯m not pressured enough? But-¡±


    ¡°Your goals are too far. They¡¯re beyond your horizons. You can¡¯t see them, you can¡¯t feel them, even the memories scorched into you are just that, scorched. They¡¯re not a burning fire needling in your gut all the time. You¡¯re getting too strong too fast for your own self. You¡¯ll crack [5] soon and then [6] and [7] and then what? Your desire for power needs to be more mortal.¡±


    I frowned and thought about that. It never felt like my goal of murdering Vega was too little. That felt like plenty of pressure. But Master wouldn¡¯t be saying all of this if he didn¡¯t truly believe it and well, he simply knew better than I did here. If he said I wasn¡¯t dissatisfied enough, then he was probably right.


    ¡°Well, what do I do then Master?¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± Master started. ¡°Power levels past five and ten don¡¯t go up linearly.¡±


    I blinked in surprise at the seemingly non-sequitur.


    ¡°Okay?¡±


    Master just nodded, as if everything made sense.


    ¡°Yeah, past those points, power level scaling breaks down strangely. Oh, it¡¯s still extremely effective to know the difference, vital even. But a [10] can take on four or five [5]¡¯s. Maybe more depending on techniques, advantages, body shape, bloodlines, knowledge, magic, etc. And it only starts to grow from there. At some point, the ten percent rule comes into play.¡±


    I nodded along as if I understood why we were talking about this.


    ¡°The ten percent rule?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t run into it for a while, but it¡¯s simple. If someone has more or less than ten percent of your power level, you¡¯re not equal. Doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t win, just that a [63] fighting a [80] is going to have a really hard time. A [90]? Well, they¡¯ll probably be dead quickly. Course, these are just rough figures, I¡¯ve seen someone at half a power level win before. Oh, and uh, I guess don¡¯t underestimate those only ten percent lower?¡± Master shrugged.


    ¡°Sure¡­¡± I said, still feeling uncertain.


    ¡°Anyway, just thought it¡¯d help keep you alive.¡±


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    A chill went up my spine. Something in me told me to run.


    ¡°Master?¡±


    Suddenly, Master¡¯s hand was gripping the top of my head. My eyes shot open and I struggled, trying to pry him off. Something wasn¡¯t right.


    ¡°You know,¡± Master said casually, as if he didn¡¯t have my head in a death grip. ¡°Ki really is useful. Lots of utility.¡±


    I could see and feel a blue light above my head. As if something was glowing.


    ¡°Master?! W-What¡¯s going on? What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°Like teleportation. Find the dojo if you survive and I¡¯ll train you some more.¡±


    ¡°Mast-¡±


    *****


    ¡°-er!¡±


    I blinked, my voice echoing back at me. What? Where, where am I?


    I looked around, seeing nothing but stone walls. No, not stone. Stone brick. But it was dark, the only source of light being from some kind of dim bulbs implanted into the side at set intervals. I was in a tunnel, on a walkway, with another on the opposite side. Between, there was a flowing thing of water. Wait a minute. This was-


    The smell slammed into me with a vengeance.


    I knew immediately where I was as my soul just about left my body. My heartbeat sped up as I gagged.


    ¡°Why-¡± I cut my voice off, fear overtaking me.


    Why am I in the sewer?!


    The sewer in Vega City was not normal. I thought I knew and understood sewers. I¡¯d heard about them before ever leaving my island. The one in Vega City was, unique. And deadly. And dangerous. And horrible and awful and-


    A skittering noise echoed out in the dark.


    Oh no.


    Out of the dim darkness¡­ came a rat.


    The size of my torso.


    I could feel panic begin to overtake me. A cold sweat broke out on my skin. That rat was huge. And it¡¯s power level, that¡­ I was in trouble.


    [7]


    It sniffed the air, its beady eyes looking all over. Had it not spotted me yet? The answer was taken from me as its head snapped towards me.


    I felt its weight slam into me, knocking me to my back. It¡¯d moved so fast! Its horrid breath poured down on top of me, reeking of rot and shit and death. Its claws pulled at my chest, leaving shallow scratches as my hands instinctively tried to push it off me. It was all I could do to barely hold it back and away and it wasn¡¯t a battle I was going to win for long.


    Its body lowered as it struggled harder and faster in my grip, my chest alighting into fiery pain as it began to carve into me. It¡¯s rat head squealed and squealed as it leaned down and-


    I barely moved my head out of the way as its teeth tore through the space between us, trying to bite my head off. They scraped against the stone with a nasty sound right next to my head. The weight was growing, my arms were failing, teeth were coming for me. The claws would kill me or the teeth would bite into my artery. I¡¯d be dead soon. I was going to die to a rat in a sewer looking for a meal.


    No! I refuse!


    Fury overtook me. I wasn¡¯t going to die like this. Not like this! I pushed, my muscles straining, my own aggression rising, and with a heave, I managed to throw it off me. My arms hurt, my chest was a bloody mess, and I was already tired and all I¡¯d managed to do was throw a rat off me.


    It was already back on its feet, hissing and growling at me.


    I wanted to run. So much of me wanted to run away. I was outmatched, outsped, this thing was at least two, maybe three times stronger than the current me. Logic hit first.


    It¡¯s just too fast.


    Rats were faster than people without a power advantage. With one, I didn¡¯t stand a chance. I¡¯d just get my back ripped apart.


    Emotion blossomed and slammed into my stomach next. Master¡¯s words reverberated inside me.


    ¡°Anyone who¡¯s ever done anything worth anything, has made enemies.¡±


    I was going to win. In that timeless moment, as a rat with over double my power level stared at me in anger and hunger, I realized it.


    I was going to win.


    It came fast, too fast for me to see. I was already moving. I wasn¡¯t thinking, thinking could come later or when I needed it. It was too fast for me to think right now, I was moving on instinct. Master¡¯s words practically flowed into my ears.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    And for the first time¡­ I threw a fist that actually did something.


    It had leaped at me, aiming to do another flying tackle. I hadn¡¯t known. I¡¯d just punched forward, hoping to hit it. My fist slammed into its nose, knocking it back and making it let out a cry of pain. My fist hurt. I was still weak. This was like a weak teenager trying to beat a very fit adult. In so many ways, they¡¯d lose.


    But this wasn¡¯t a person. It was an angry animal.


    As it came again, I realized just what an angry animal could do. My punch didn¡¯t land this time and it slammed into me, rolling with me, biting and scratching and screaming. Its aggression was unlike anything I¡¯d ever faced. Fear lanced through me.


    And something awoke.


    Something dark and evil and furious came out of me. This thing was on me. This thing was hurting me. This thing was killing me.


    This thing thought it knew anger.


    I screamed and bit and headbutted and tore and tore. My fists and elbows landed when they could, my thumbs rammed into eyes, I bit its tongue, I rolled it onto its back and beat it with my fists. It gave as good as it got, blood running down me, pain lighting me up, but it didn¡¯t matter. This thing had never trained, it had never tried, it had only lived a life of survival.


    Well, guess what rat? So have I.


    It was stronger, it was faster, it might have even been meaner.


    I was angrier.


    My blows rained on its head, knocking it around even as it bit my arm and tore my flesh.


    But my punches weren¡¯t nothing anymore.


    They dazed it. Even weak, my punches were blows to the head and they had my full fury behind them. It wasn¡¯t enough to kill, I wasn¡¯t strong enough yet. But as it bit for my neck again, only barely missing, it shook its head in frustration.


    I didn¡¯t miss the chance.


    I shoved it down and tore into its neck with my teeth.


    It was like trying to bite through plaster covered in wet disgusting fur. I didn¡¯t stop. Not until I tore it out. The rat paused for only a second, the violence stilling, before it went berserk.


    It was dying now. I¡¯d killed it. Blood was pumping up through its neck where I¡¯d managed to bite through an artery. Red blood coated us both, like a fire hose splashing around us. It knew it was dying.


    And it was determined to take me with it.


    Claws ripped through flesh, teeth bit through my body, two of my fingers were nearly torn off and my body was growing weak from blood loss.


    But slowly.


    The fighting slowed.


    The aggression slowed.


    And I stared into the giant rat¡¯s eyes as its soul left its body.


    Just like when I¡¯d seen my mother die.


    I puked. I screamed in agony and puked.


    That was not a glorious fight.


    That was a dirty, deadly, awful, scrap in the shit and piss. That was a fight for survival. That was the death of another creature by my hands. That was¡­


    That was my first victory.


    I roared.

 Chapter 12: The Sewer is no place for anyone

    I heaved air in and out of my lungs. I¡¯d been in pain before, thank god for once. It was still nearly debilitating. It wasn¡¯t that it was too much, just that it was in too many places in too many odd ways. One of my hands had to be carefully pried open, my fingers half bitten through. My chest hurt and it made me want to lean a certain way, except I couldn¡¯t without causing a ton of other wounds to bother me.


    I¡¯d been more injured before but not with so many. That rat had carved me up like a turkey.


    And I was so exhausted. I just wanted to lay down and sleep forever. But if I did, I probably would. The sewers were dangerous. I nearly laughed, that felt like saying a fire was a little hot after almost being burned alive. That rat had nearly killed me.


    But I¡¯d won.


    I felt, of all things, a wide smile sprout on my torn lips.


    I was a mess, I might even die, but I¡¯d won. Not against something weaker than me but a level [7] creature. While I was only at three. A month ago, I¡¯d have never believed either of those statements separately, let alone together. I would have called it impossible.


    Yet I¡¯d done it. I nearly died, might still die from my wounds, but I¡¯d done it.


    Slowly, in agony, I stood up. The rat had been big and if there was any saving grace, its claws had been fiercely aimed at my chest and stomach. It had nearly disemboweled me but my legs still worked relatively fine and I hadn¡¯t lost my manhood or anything related. That was worth a miracle in and of itself.


    But I was still bleeding. A lot. Maybe even out.


    I briefly thought about taking off my Gi and trying to use it to staunch some of it but it would be like plugging a single hole out a million. I was just too scraped up for it to matter. I¡¯d either live or I¡¯d die.


    More sounds, more skittering.


    I made too much noise.


    There was a battle, the battle was over, things were going to come investigate. I had to get out of here. Luckily, I knew which way not to go. The skittering came from the same area the other rat had come. That meant at the very least there was no decision paralysis. I booked it the other way, running, not walking.


    There¡¯d be a time for being quiet, that time would come when rats that can move almost faster than I can see and scratch down to bone and bite through my neck weren¡¯t close by.


    The running did not help my wounds. They did not help them a single bit.


    Finally, I turned a corner and heaved like a mountain was crushing me. They were pained, aching breaths of air. I couldn¡¯t believe the thought I was having but I was so immensely thankful to Master right now. Without the training pushing myself to the limit, without that agony, I¡¯d probably be curled into a ball. I¡¯d never thought about it before, but my pain tolerance was going to have to go up if I ever wanted to beat anyone, let alone Vega.


    But I did beat someone. Or at least, something.


    It still didn¡¯t feel real. That I¡¯d won. That I¡¯d killed something. But that look of its soul leaving its body, the light going out of its eyes¡­ I¡¯d seen that twice now. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever forget it. They were both branded onto my memory.


    The death of my mother, by an evil monster.


    The death of a creature, by my hand.


    Why did both have to die?


    I shook my head, almost toppling over from how woozy I felt. One died because people are evil. Another died because creatures can be awful and greedy. Both paid the price for other''s actions but at least the rat got what it deserved even if it was only following its nature. But so was I. Except I¡¯d have let it live if I was stronger and it attacked me. It didn¡¯t seem inclined to give me the same luxury.


    I was thinking about this too much. The blood loss was getting to me.


    I was weak, it was hungry, I was on the menu. That was all. I fought, I defended myself, I¡¯d won.


    It was just¡­ the law of the powerful. The strong took and the weak endured or died.


    I needed more. I understood, right then and there, what Master had meant. About my desires not being mortal enough. It was all good and fine to want to kill that horrible monster but it was never pressing. It was never do or die right now, this exact second.


    If I didn¡¯t get stronger right now I was going to be eaten and die in this damn sewer. My desire for power was desperate, clawing, and panicked. I needed to be stronger. There were going to be more rats and worse in this sewer. I was already horribly injured. If I ran into literally anything else, I¡¯d die.


    I breathed deep, feeling painful tugs from literally all over my body. I¡¯d thought enough, I¡¯d stayed still enough. I needed to find a safer place.


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    Time passed as I walked through the tunnels. The same stone brick, the same flowing water, but there were different passageways. Branches that would sometimes be singular, ones that would sometimes be a crossroads. Even a few wooden bridges between the walkways. But always, the tunnels would be extensive. Labyrinthian. Whoever had designed or made this sewer was a madman at best. My bare feet stepped on things I¡¯d rather not think about. Mostly a slick stone walkway.


    There were no manholes or way out that I saw. Unsurprising. The sewers had very few entrances and exits. All guarded, at least, that I knew of them. The sewers below the city were known to have giant man-eating creatures, insane and dangerous people, and worse. Any conversation that I¡¯d ever heard about it, had mostly come from horror stories of something rising up from them.


    It wasn¡¯t a place anyone should actually go to.


    Skittering. Closer now. My eyes went wide, realizing it was too close.


    I turned¡­ and froze.


    [3]


    A rat. But¡­


    [4]


    [3]


    [4]


    [4]


    [4]


    [4]


    [3]


    [3]


    [3]


    [4]


    [3]


    And more¡­ and more. That¡­ that was a whole horde of rats. They weren¡¯t as big as the last one, only the size of a small dog but¡­ there sure were a lot of them. Dozens. Hundreds? I swallowed, staring at them all.


    They stared with their beady eyes, all glaring at me. Wait. Glaring?


    Uh oh.


    As one, they seemed to screech in a million different rat squeaks at once.


    I ran.


    I sprinted as fast as I could but I could already hear some of the rats catching up. I pushed harder. There was no way on this planet I¡¯d survive that horde, they¡¯d tear me apart in moments! I was going to die if I so much as tripped.


    I barrelled down tunnels, the rats close behind, my blood falling in divets, sweat along with it, my wounds practically screaming at me.


    I couldn¡¯t slow down. I had to, I had to find a way to get away.


    Faster. Harder. I took those lessons to heart, pushing for all I was worth and then some. My balance nearly killed me twice, but I was keeping up. But there was no end in sight. It was just more and more tunnels. Where did all these rats even come from?!


    I tripped. The floor was slick and I tripped.


    I skidded across, terror flowing over me. I saw it then, turning around. I saw the hoard of rats practically light up in glee. They paused, the same way a snake would pause right before going for the lunge. My eyes went wide in terror, but I readied myself as best I could.


    I wasn¡¯t going to die here! I wouldn¡¯t! I would-


    In a flash, in an instant, there was motion. It was so quick that it was only the single moment when it stopped that I truly saw it.


    [??]


    An alligator. A really, really big alligator. Big enough that it opened its mouth¡­ and ate the whole hoard of rats in one bite. I froze, not moving a single muscle.


    Faster than I could blink, it was gone, sinking back into the water. It¡¯s meal sated. It hadn¡¯t even looked at me. Even as it left, I didn¡¯t move. My eyes, oh so cautiously, turned to my left to see the water.


    There wasn¡¯t even a ripple or any sign that it lurked there.


    My heart hammered in my chest. My eyes didn¡¯t leave the water. All was silent for a long, long moment. Finally, painfully, I let out the breath I hadn¡¯t known I¡¯d been holding. I laid my back on the disgusting walkway, just taking a moment.


    ¡°That was too close.¡±


    If that gator had decided to aim a bit more forward instead of for the rats¡­ I¡¯d have been gone. There was no way I was surviving or even realizing I¡¯d been eaten by that thing before it was too late. How did it even fit in the water or the tunnel?


    I glanced to my left and it took me an embarrassingly long amount of time to realize something through my foggy brain.


    I wasn¡¯t in a normal tunnel. This one was huge. I¡¯d have needed to swim across it to make it to the other side and it wouldn¡¯t exactly be a short swim. What on Vega was going on with this sewer? This felt more like a small underground river.


    I frowned.


    Maybe that was exactly what it was.


    Vega City wasn¡¯t exactly coastal per se, but it wasn¡¯t that far from the ocean. An underground river wouldn¡¯t have been that weird. Why anyone would build a sewer around it or with that in mind, especially like this one, was beyond me. But a river meant it might lead to the ocean. The ocean wasn¡¯t the sewer.


    That meant I needed to follow this thing to find a way out. It was better than any other plan I had.


    I tried to move¡­ and couldn¡¯t.


    I felt¡­ weak.


    Weaker than I ever had.


    That¡¯s¡­ weird.


    I struggled. I knew what this was. I was passing out. I couldn¡¯t¡­ I couldn¡¯t¡­


    No! I couldn¡¯t pass out here, I¡¯d die!


    I had to find someplace¡­ someplace safe.


    Through a titanic effort of will, I rolled onto my side.


    One arm on the wall. One foot underneath.


    Standing. I was standing.


    I had to keep going. I needed to. I had to find somewhere safe or I¡¯d die. Had to- to-


    My eyes swam as black nearly took over my vision and my body tried to topple.


    No! No. I had to, to find¡­


    Tired.


    No.


    Step. Step.


    Safe. I just needed¡­ somewhere¡­


    Safe.


    Safe.


    Safe!

 Chapter 13: A Miserable Wake Up

    I woke up feeling like burnt shit.


    Everything hurt in too many ways. Parts of me were sore. Other parts were enflamed. My chest ached like literal fire was in it. I had a fever and cold sweat was breaking out of me as my body shivered. I felt sick. Thirst and hunger grasped at me, their urging unfamiliar.


    I¡¯d been coddled.


    That was the first thought through my hazy brain. I wasn¡¯t ready for this, I wasn¡¯t prepared for this. Master had devoted everything to helping me break through and increasing my power. The rest¡­ he¡¯d left me on my own. To live or die.


    But at that moment I hated how much he did for me. I hadn¡¯t gone hungry or been sick or even been thirsty in over a month. He¡¯d always stabbed me with nutrients or hooked me up to an IV or shoved me into the healing tank. It was like I¡¯d had another paradise ripped from me.


    I snorted in amusement.


    Yeah, it sure didn¡¯t feel like a paradise when I was living it.


    Then again, death from disease and infection and feeling like your stomach will fall out of you in three different ways changed your perspective. I breathed deep, focusing. I wasn¡¯t safe. I didn¡¯t know where I was. I didn¡¯t remember finding any place I could pass out in. But apparently, I had.


    I was¡­ for the life of me, it looked like I was in a crevice.


    There was a single small hole leading out near my feet and all around me, just rock. My body was practically squashed inside here. The hole was so small that I didn¡¯t know if I was going to be able to even get out. I was shocked I¡¯d managed to get in.


    But I had to leave. Something had made this, no doubt about it. And whatever or whoever¡¯s home I was invading, could chew through stone brick and rock given enough time. Hilariously, I hoped it was a rat. If it was anything else, my chances would go from low to zero.


    I didn¡¯t want to move. My body was exhausted, my throat was dry, my body was covered in brutal wounds and scratches that had only barely closed, if at all. I was hungry, felt like I was poisoned, and could feel an infection setting in on every single place I¡¯d been hurt. My gi and underwear were soaked with my blood, rat blood, and more. It stuck to my skin in a way that made me feel disgusted.


    Even dying in agony hadn¡¯t felt so totally miserable. It¡¯s as if someone had dumped every single awful way a human could feel at once on top of me. It was rapidly taking the third spot on the worst way I¡¯d ever woken up. Right behind waking up from Vega and when I thought the Smile Company was trying to drown me in a healing tank.


    I breathed a shaky breath.


    I still needed to get out of here. Death was close by and would only get closer, not farther. I needed healing, I needed help, and I needed power.


    I wasn¡¯t going to get that by sleeping and dying in a hole in the wall.


    It took me longer than I¡¯d wanted to get out. I didn¡¯t know what was on the other side, which was terrifying, and I didn¡¯t want to make too much noise. Not to mention that the hole was barely wide enough for my hips, I felt like I was truly dying, and everything felt sluggish and sore¡­ it probably took me the better part of an hour.


    I¡¯d begun to think I was stuck and would never be getting out. Mutai, died in a hole. That would be my end. It wasn¡¯t a comforting thought, which just made me struggle all the more.


    Once I finally got out, I scrambled to my feet, eyes staring out. I had nearly died twice within an hour of being here and I saw no reason that would change. Except there was no way I¡¯d be able to run or fight in my current condition. I was on a walkway, where I¡¯d somehow managed to find and crawl into a random hole. The only indication of the way I came was the trail of dried blood leading to here.


    I needed to find somewhere safe to eat, drink, and heal.


    It dawned on me then, painfully. I wasn¡¯t getting out of here in a day or two. I needed my wounds to heal and they were only going to do that slowly. I needed this fever and disease to break if they did at all. I needed food and water that hopefully wouldn¡¯t poison me.


    I grimaced, hard.


    I was going to be in this sewer for weeks, maybe months.


    And I didn¡¯t have any idea how to survive in this environment. In so many ways, this was worse than being lost in a forest. There were a lot more things trying to kill me, the water I could have was poisoned, I was hopelessly lost, and all the ¡®food¡¯ would fight back.


    ¡°God damn it old man¡­ was this really the only way?¡±


    This was a death sentence disguised as training. I was incredibly grateful to Master¡­ but I hadn¡¯t been wrong about my impressions. His eyes were like steel dipped into ice. Dead and hard. His nonchalance was just the ultimate expression of not caring about anything. I was grateful, so incredibly grateful for what he¡¯d done, but this¡­


    We would have to talk if I survived this.


    The first thing I had to do was get lucky. If I ran into a swarm or a large rat I was dead. I couldn¡¯t make too much noise either but that would only go so far.


    Quietly, cautiously, I walked through the dark tunnels. Only to stop. I looked back, ideas dawning on me. This area¡­ was pretty safe. The rats made too much noise, they¡¯d get eaten by the alligator. If I was very careful and very quiet, I could survive. As for the rats¡­ I eyed the water.


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    A good throw would solve my problems if it was a large one. I¡¯d just have to hope the alligator didn¡¯t murder me too.


    I resolved in my heart, this was going to be my base. I¡¯d have to be deadly quiet but there was value in living next to an apex predator.


    I felt, smarter. I had never been stupid but this¡­ I didn¡¯t remember ever having these kinds of survival instincts. But maybe I had. The same feeling that made someone look away when someone strong came at them was now screaming at me.


    Food. Water. Shelter. Power. Protection.


    Evolution itself was guiding me through this primal world.


    I coughed out blood and nearly fell head first into the water.


    I could worry about my sudden clarity later. I needed to start finding food and water now.


    *****


    There was really only one thing to do. I continued on, following the path I¡¯d been heading. I didn¡¯t dare drink the water flowing nearby. That wouldn¡¯t be a good way to go out, drinking sewer water. I was feeling sick enough as is. That would probably send me to the afterlife within a day¡­ or maybe an hour, depending.


    I need fresh water. My throat ached and burned. My body shivered and a constant feeling of lightheadedness wouldn¡¯t leave me. I stumbled and even fell, each time more terrifying than the last as I froze, worried a hungry gator monstrously strong would be my end before I even had time to realize it.


    It wasn¡¯t but I never let my guard down, keeping my ears sharp. That had been my only warning for the rats before.


    And before long, I heard it.


    Skittering.


    I panicked. It was coming from the walkway on the other side but everything connected. Would they hunt me down if they saw me? Would the gators eat them before that? Heart hammering, my mind raced, trying to come up with something, anything! I needed to hide. I needed to somehow hide on a flat walkway right now.


    The skittering grew louder, I could hear it echoing. Down in the distance I could see small brown dots. I was running out of time. They¡¯d see me, they¡¯d screech, they¡¯d hunt me down.


    They¡¯d kill me.


    Now. I needed to do something now!


    Survival grabbed me by the wheel and took control. I swung a fist, shattering a light. Darkness descended in the area and I hunched, unmoving within it.


    Moments later, moving quickly but more quietly now, was a family of rats. Three of them, all bigger than my head but smaller than the first one.


    [5]


    [5]


    [5]


    My heart beat erratically in my chest, the tension nearly made me retch, and I did my best not to move a muscle. The rats walked by¡­ and kept going. They didn¡¯t look at me, they didn¡¯t see me, and when I couldn¡¯t even hear them, I finally let out the breath I¡¯d been holding.


    I collapsed with my back towards the wall, sliding down it. That had been too close. I looked at my hand, adding broken glass to the list of injuries. It was so small compared to everything else. Barely a minor inconvenience.


    I hadn¡¯t been thinking, I hadn¡¯t known what to do. I¡¯d just, I¡¯d panicked and smashed the light out of some primal instinct to hide.


    But I couldn¡¯t linger. Nothing had changed. I was still dying of thirst and soon, I¡¯d be dying of everything else if I didn¡¯t get food before I grew too weak.


    I continued on, following the walkway. Slowly, it began to do something I hadn¡¯t seen before. It had already gone longer than my vision could see but now it¡­ began to bend. Instead of a sharp turn, the path was bending.


    My nerves spiked up. I already had no idea when I¡¯d meet another terrifying creature or even just another rat but not being able to see what was in front of me was horrifying. I could walk around the bend and run right into a monster.


    Forward I went, heart hammering, nerves on fire. My body shook like a leaf, my knees felt weak, and I suddenly missed my mother¡¯s cooking so, so much for some reason. Blood loss was terrible. I felt dizzy and my body felt both so hot and so cold.


    Finally, I was around the bend and-


    ¡­


    I realized two things in that moment.


    One, the person who had made this place was crazy.


    And two, whether male or female, I was going to kiss them when I got out of here.


    In front of me was something I was fairly certain no sewer in existence should have actually had. There was a wide walkway, a massive area, where the water ended, hitting a grate. From the sides, small flows of water pooled down, causing the massive room to have what looked like a thin coat of water evenly spread out across the ground.


    I didn¡¯t know how it was possible. I didn¡¯t know why. Some of the water spilled towards the river going into the grate but most seemed to just stay still like a pond after the rain.


    And it looked fresh.


    I was never going to get another or better chance. Caution was observed but it was a wide and mostly well lit area for once. Massive lights hung from the ceiling, only causing further confusion. Why was this area so well lit but the rest had significant areas of darkness all around? Why have proper lighting here but nowhere else I¡¯d seen in this labyrinth?


    I pushed away my confusion, it could wait. I hobbled my way towards one of the streams flowing down. If I was unlucky¡­ this was going to be terrible.


    I leaned forward and let some fall in my mouth.


    I waited for a moment. Waited for a terrible, awful, disgusting flavor to take hold of my senses. Instead the water tasted¡­ clean.


    I cried.


    Pure tears of joy streamed down my face. I¡¯d somehow found clean water in a sewer. Was this part of the process of cleaning it? Did they not just dump it all out into the ocean?


    Whatever the answer was, I had clean water.


    I¡¯d never take it for granted again. I¡¯d never realized how precious water was till I needed it. Another day and¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have lasted another day I realized. My body was weak enough as is, how much longer could I have searched? Before I grew too tired? Before something found me? If I hadn¡¯t found any today¡­ I sure as hell wouldn¡¯t have tomorrow.


    I stared at the water in awe.


    It almost made me miss the croaking.

 Chapter 14: A whole lotta life

    I blinked, turning quickly. The room was large and had what looked like a natural turn towards the right, as well as a tunnel leading down. That tunnel was where the noise was coming from. I blinked, only to gape at what I was seeing.


    I¡¯d seen a lot of weird things in Vega City, but still, I¡¯d never seen a¡­ was that a humanoid toad man?


    I stared as he stared back at me. His skin was a very dull green, dry looking, with small brown streaks. He stood on two legs and had two arms, but the similarities with humans ended there. The legs looked like he was a professional gymnast, his thighs thick and his feet webbed things with three long toes. His arms followed suit, looking like he regularly went to a gym, with his hands being five nearly equally bulky fingers.


    And his head, well. Eyes and mouth check, but his face was a bit flat with two small holes for a nose and no hair anywhere to speak of. The top of his head was just smoothish toad skin.


    He looked less like a real creature and more like an action figure come to life.


    [8]


    Oh no.


    He saw me and immediately frowned. A toad man¡¯s frown was horrifying. He may not have eyebrows but his face could certainly narrow and bend the same way. His mouth was just so huge for his face, it looked like if he really tried he could bite my head off.


    And he was unhappy.


    And he was looking at me.


    My mind raced, thinking hard. This thing was going to kill me. I had moments before it decided it didn¡¯t like me and then I was dead.


    Even with moments to spare¡­ my mind came up blank.


    I couldn¡¯t run, I couldn¡¯t fight, I couldn¡¯t hide. It was staring right at me. What was left to do?!


    Against all better judgment¡­ I chose to hiss. I raised my hands, the meager fists I could, prepared to go down swinging. I didn¡¯t know how but I¡¯d been absolutely sure I was going to survive the rat. That I¡¯d find some way to victory.


    I wasn¡¯t confident here and now.


    This might truly be it.


    It didn¡¯t like that. It didn¡¯t like that at all. It stalked forward, murder in its eyes. Cautiously, slowly, I backed away. For a brief, fleeting moment, I thought I could make it. That it would just let me go. That maybe I seemed too strange, awkward, and deranged for it.


    It disabused me of that notion shortly.


    One second it was slowly approaching, the next it was rushing me so fast it was a miracle I even saw it coming. I threw a punch, aimed for its toady face and it dodged. It pulled back its own arm, lowered, and-


    All at once, my world seemed to break and shatter. I puked immediately as all the breath in my body left me heaving and gasping like a fish. Air refused to come in. The pain radiated in the same way getting hit in the balls did, affecting my whole body. My whole torso spasmed as it punched me in the gut. My pupils shook as my world broke.


    And then, like a horrible breath of fresh air, the pain really hit. Sharp, searing, burning, cramping. My eyes rolled into the back of my head and all I could do was fall to the ground in abject misery. The toad was long forgotten, the pain and misery all consuming.


    I groaned, moaning and weeping, as my whole body tried to pull itself together. It failed.


    The toad wasn¡¯t done however.


    I felt its slimy hand grip my ankle but I was in too much misery to even pay attention.


    Until I was airborne.


    With a grunt of exertion and a silent scream from me as my body was forcefully moved, it hoisted me over its head and shoulders¡­ and slammed me into the ground.


    I felt my nose break, my teeth shatter, and blackness pulled at my vision. The pain and intensity were so all consuming, so total, that I could do nothing but stare lifelessly my mouth agape. The toad reached down, grabbing me by the head.


    Whatever look it found must¡¯ve been enough. It dropped my head, stood up, and spit on me.


    Then¡­ it walked away.


    I lay there, broken, blood leaking out my mouth, mixing with the thin sheet of water on the ground.


    An eternity passed and at the end of it, blackness finally took me.


    *****


    I woke up screaming.


    Every fiber of my body hurt. Then multiplied. Then again and again. Every wound from the rat, every bite, every broken bone, all at once.


    I laid there, crying, wanting it to end.


    Wanting for it all to end.


    There was only pain.


    Hours passed, all miserable. I thought the toad would come back and finish me off but I never got that luxury. It was just pain and more pain.


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    Sleep came and went in spurts. Time was an illusion of hell. My mind spun and turned and in those depths a clarity unlike any other finally hit me.


    Why? Why did they have to die?


    Why is my life like this?


    Why?


    Paradise then hell, paradise then hell. Am I doomed? What cosmic deity hates me so much?


    Why¡­ why is this world so cruel?


    The darkness threatened to consume my soul. I could feel it, the blackness, rising up within me. Spreading and leeching all. My revenge, my hatred, my pain, it was all consumed in the inky void. In all the ways that mattered, Mutai was dying. My body, my mind, my soul.


    The world was cruel. It was hell. It was darkness and evil. So what? Why should I be any different? Why should I care?


    Rage swam up, like a dull red energy spreading through the darkness.


    I wanted to rip and tear and destroy. To kill, to rage against the heavens and my fate. But even it was consumed by the growing avalanche of darkness in me. The blackness threatened to swallow me whole. I should have stolen and killed. I could¡¯ve done more. I could¡¯ve poisoned a family and taken their money. Used it to buy a healing machine. Could¡¯ve kidnapped someone, another weak homeless person, and used them as a training dummy. Why was I even trying anyway? Master¡¯s words wrung in my ears. Vega killed my family. So what? Why does it matter. Why does anything matter? Should¡¯ve just bought that car and worked and moved on. I¡¯d still be alive.


    The dark thoughts continued as both my blood and emotions seeped out of me.


    In that terrible way, a rat entered my vision. It began to head towards my face, slowly, cautiously.


    [3]


    This was how I was to die. Eaten by rats. My eyes plucked out and swallowed.


    Fitting.


    I stared, watching the worst and slowest form of death I could imagine come for me. I didn¡¯t care. I didn¡¯t care¡­ about anything anymore.


    It doesn¡¯t matter.


    The blackness, the depression, the hollowness. It encompassed me wholly.


    I closed my eyes.


    This was The End.


    .


    .


    .


    I love you Mutai.


    A glimmer in the black.


    Your father made meatloaf!


    Did not. I made Meatpancakes.


    Father! That¡¯s not a thing!


    Haha. Then explain how we are having it!


    A spark in the darkness.


    Mutai, I hope Tuwa doesn¡¯t find us.


    Don¡¯t worry Maui! She¡¯ll never know-


    What are you kids doing to my vegetables?!


    Run!


    A brightness that began to grow.


    Hey¡­ Mutai?


    Yeah Suma?


    I think uh¡­ I think¡­ I love you. But uh, like, a sister?


    Oh. Haha!


    You¡¯re¡­ are you okay?


    Suma¡­ I¡¯ve never had a sister before!


    You¡¯re so weird! I thought you¡¯d be upset!


    Huh? Even if it''s as siblings, at least you still love me!


    Growing more and more.


    Fetch me those planks Mutai!


    Y-Yes Juak! Why are they so heavy?!


    U-Uh, oh. We¡­ got¡­ heavier ones.


    ¡­We got heavier trees?


    Y-Yes!


    Juak, you¡¯re so weird.


    Just help me build this house you little jerk!


    Exploding brightness echoed outwards.


    Happy Birthday Mutai!


    W-Why are there so many people?!


    Come on Mutai, you only turn ten once!


    Yeah, cheer up brat. Enjoy your day already!


    It was Tuwa¡¯s idea. To get the whole village together.


    T-Tuwa? But¡­ I thought you hated me.


    Brat¡­ I¡¯m only going to say this once. I love you.


    We all do Mutai. The whole village does.


    We love you Mutai.


    I was a fool.


    I could feel the darkness breaking. The light shining through, past the misery, past the pain. I was loved once. I was loved once by so many people. So many friends and family, so many. But I¡¯d¡­ I¡¯d forgotten about the good. It had only been about the pain, the revenge, the mission, the duty, the brokenness.


    I¡¯d forgotten the good times. The happy times. The times to be cherished and always remembered. My dad making meat pancakes, the time me and Maiu raided Tuwa''s vegetable garden, the time Suma had let me down gently only to make my heart grow happier, when I¡¯d built a treehouse with Juak, and even my tenth birthday.


    I¡¯d forgotten so much. I¡¯d let Vega take even that from me. I¡¯d let my family only weigh me down and hurt me, when they would be appalled at the very idea. The whole village had loved me and I¡¯d loved them. They were gone now. Gone, but never forgotten.


    The rat inched closer, hunger clear in its eyes.


    The pain was still there, the agony, all the terrible misery hadn¡¯t left me. My body was broken, I wanted to scream, and I was stuck in a dank and dangerous sewer.


    But the most important problem had gone away. My soul felt lighter and even through my broken face, a smile stretched across it. A determination lit up inside me. Live for myself and for others. I wasn¡¯t going to die here. I was going to keep going, if only so I could sit down and remember them again. So that I could enjoy the greatest gift they¡¯d left me with.


    The memory of them.


    The rat inched closer and finally, it was within range.


    Fierce blinding determination flowed through me. Not just for survival but for something even more worthwhile. To truly live. I was alive and that meant more than a heartbeat or a brain. It meant to strive, to grow, to experience, and to enjoy.


    And I wasn¡¯t going to get there lying down in the muck and dying. It was a kill or be killed world and I had made my choice.


    I lunged, the rat trying to back away, but it was too late. I bit down, the rat frantically trying to free itself, but I bit down hard. Once, twice. And finally, a third. It stilled, its head torn off. I swallowed quickly, along with the rest of the rat, barely chewing.


    This world was cruel¡­ but it could also be beautiful.


    I¡¯d embrace both.

 Chapter 15: Sewer? I hardly know her!

    The first day was the hardest. They oh so often are. My wounds were brutal, far more brutal than I realized. I was lucky to be alive. The rat I¡¯d eaten didn¡¯t sit right, not at all, but I didn¡¯t lack for a toilet. The river was right there, though concerns about falling over were definitely had. As was making too much noise.


    I collected and drank as much water as I could. I also finally stripped out of my Gi and underwear. Being nude in a sewer was immediately a horrible idea and feeling but the grime was so much that I had honestly started to feel weighed down. That split moment of slowness could actually kill me, so, the clothes had to go.


    I tossed them, carefully, down the tunnel the toad had come from. Walking towards it, I noticed a wide branching turn, making the room lead down into a much more expanded area. It looked like someone had seen the rest of the sewer and decided ¡°Why not bigger?¡± A whole massive floor all covered with a thin thing of water, with varying amounts of water flowing from holes on the side. It boggled my mind continuously but I wasn¡¯t about to learn anything by staring.


    Hopefully though, nothing would come through there. Hopefully, the toad would see my clothes and make a sound that alerted me, allowing me to run. Hopefully, I wouldn¡¯t die of parasites, infection, or disease. Lots of different hopes there.


    The water didn¡¯t get me clean, not nearly. It did get me mildly less awful and that already felt like a god send from heaven. Cleaning my wounds was a bit too little too late but I¡¯d take it. Carefully looking over my body, the worst by far was actually my stomach. It had nasty puncture wounds from the giant rat¡¯s teeth and a massive black bruise that hurt unlike anything I¡¯d ever experienced.


    Everything hurt, all the time, constantly. A lot.


    I was not happy when I learned that pissing blood was my new regular.


    That was only the beginning of the many, many problems I had.


    But! I could remember my family happily now and that was honestly, probably, well worth the trade. I¡¯d have done anything before to have the kind of lightness I felt now. Becoming this broken was honestly pushing it but well, it would all be worth it in the end.


    My head felt woozy, my body felt sick and cold and hot, parts of me were broken and I¡¯d only barely missed having any significant broken bones by some sort of miracle. The toad had only, probably, left me alone because it thought it had killed me with those two moves. My front teeth were ruined, my lip torn, my hair a grimy mess, and the only parts of me miraculously mostly undamaged were my legs and back.


    In other words, I was good to go.


    Collecting and drinking water was easy now. I just had to be absolutely certain there wasn¡¯t a toad and then leave as soon as I had my fill, while keeping my ears active and listening. The slightest twitch of anything unusual would have me moving. I could theoretically throw a big rat into the water or get lucky with a horde via alligator but another toad would kill me.


    When I wasn¡¯t getting water, I was getting rats. This was both easy and hard. Rats traveled in packs or hordes. The sewer was also filled with them and they weren¡¯t shy about trying to kill you. I avoided multiple big ones, by the grace of finding out they had terrible eyesight. The path between my hole in the wall and the water was becoming scarily dark from all the bulbs I was breaking but it had to be done.


    The rats didn¡¯t like the dark but they¡¯d go in it. I¡¯d seen another horde while silently traveling around the tunnels. I had to. I needed to map out the area, figure out the prey and the predators, and make do. I hadn¡¯t been chased but I was quickly hating the dark. It felt dangerous. It was dangerous. But necessary.


    Actually getting single rats to eat sucked. It sucked a lot. But they truly were everywhere. Just not near the alligator river. I failed more times than I succeeded, before I finally figured out that playing dead was a very viable strategy.


    Eating them was worse. It was raw meat, probably riddled with parasites. I choked and threw up more than a few times. I had no way of making a fire and no idea how to. I was really praying for the best but on the lookout for anything that could make heat.


    There was nothing, of course.


    The tunnel probably led somewhere useful, but toads were that way. At least one and that was one too many. The turn in the big room probably also went somewhere but the idea of running into anything I didn¡¯t already know about was horrifying.


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    I needed to be better healed and stronger before that.


    And speaking of¡­ I had something I¡¯d almost forgotten about till I had started removing clothes.


    My Vambrace. The one Master had gifted me. A look at it proved shocking.


    [4.12]


    I had grown stronger. By a lot. That was from one fight, one run, and one ass beating. And yet it was over a fifteen percent increase. My growth had been higher past [2] but that was ridiculous. I made it a point right then and there not to look too much at that feature of my Vambrace. It would corrupt me. I needed strength and power but I could already imagine myself having [5] and thinking that was enough to fight a toad.


    It wasn¡¯t.


    Best to continue assuming I¡¯m weak and desperately try to gain power then think I¡¯m strong enough or let my mind get clouded by pride.


    That wasn¡¯t the only useful feature the Vambrace had however. I was in a life or death situation and any tool was going to be used right now. I¡¯d have even taken a gun, despite the extreme stigma people had about them. The tool of cowards and oppressors, useless past a certain power level. But still, I¡¯d have taken it immediately.


    I shook my head. My thoughts were still blown to pieces at the best of times.


    The Vambrace had video calling, which I¡¯d immediately tried only to get no signal. Which wasn¡¯t really surprising. It also had access to the internet, but also again, no signal. I was probably pretty deep underground then. The power level reader was ignored, though it was amusing that it, of course, went both ways. I could read others, not that I needed to. My eyes had been cursed since that fateful day to always see power levels.


    The vambrace also came with music, ignored. It could take photos and videos, which was useless to me. And it could store information, which was finally the first useful aspect it had. Notes alone would¡¯ve been good enough but a drawing app on it let me actually make a real map. That was invaluable.


    The second best thing, was the flashlight.


    It turned out that rats had terrible eyesight and didn¡¯t do well against a suddenly bright light.


    And so the days continued on and on.


    *****


    A week later, the first real problem started rearing its ugly head. I was sick. Really sick. Deathly sick. But there was no medicine down here, no healing, only me.


    I did as best I could, stayed quiet as best I could, but my body still shook like a leaf and I fell in and out of consciousness with a high fever more than a few times.


    My confidence waned, hard, in my continued survival. I even thought about trying the toad path or the right path to find some way out but I knew that was hopeless. I just had to tough it out. Sickness didn¡¯t last forever. My body would adapt, adjust, break the fever, and then I¡¯d feel like shit but I¡¯d manage.


    Or I¡¯d die because it killed me.


    The infection didn¡¯t help. Having a bunch of open wounds in a sewer was bad for health. I was pockmarked and parts of me had strangely gone green. That was probably bad. The abscess and pus were pretty awful though. The high fever that felt like my brain was burning and melting helped take my mind off it though.


    Catching rats became strangely easier. They took one look at me and thought I was practically already dead.


    While fair, that seemed pretty rude.


    The sickness only got worse and worse and by the end of it, delirium started slamming into me. I lost track of time completely. Seconds felt like hours, hours like days, and days¡­ I don¡¯t know.


    It was all a horrible blur. There was fighting. Eating. Running. I ate a dog sized rat. Puking. I fell into the water with alligators once I think somehow. All bad.


    Finally, after who knows how long, I realized I was sitting down.


    The pain had also receded by a massive margin. My mind was coming back. The clarity of it at least. It took a few more days before my mind truly cleared up at all, but when it did, I nearly burst out laughing. It was only the hard fought desire to stay alive that stopped me.


    I was alive.


    I wasn¡¯t well, not at all.


    But I was still alive.


    My wounds had healed up enough. However long it had been in that horrific state of delirium, I¡¯d made it. Somehow. I could¡¯ve sworn I¡¯d spent a week unable to move at one point there but time was practically an illusion without having a sun or a moon. It could have been only an hour or it could have been a month. There was just no way of knowing.


    The important thing was I was alive and well enough. My body felt¡­ awful, terrible, and still broken. But I could at least throw a fist again. I¡¯d put it at even odds I could beat that giant rat again.


    I smiled a broken smile.


    I wasn¡¯t going to get out of here without growing stronger and those big rats? Well, those were just punching bags in disguise.


    It was time to get stronger again.

 Chapter 16: USW. Underground Sewer Wrestling!

    The sewers were worse than I remembered. Which was saying a lot. It was a mix of things. My hearing had improved, or at least, became deadly focused on sounds. My own sounds had grown quieter and quieter and even breathing too loud caused me to wince. And because of those things, the sewer had opened up to me.


    I could hear water dripping down, echoing throughout the tunnels. The rush of the current between the walkways, all feeding into the bigger river and down through other areas. The squeak of rats all throughout and then periods of nearly deafening silence. That wasn¡¯t all. I hadn¡¯t thought about it, but I could hear an¡­ airflow. I couldn¡¯t tell where it was coming from but the passage of air through the tunnels created a nearly imperceptible ambient sound.


    My own breathing mixed in made it all the worse. It was like I was surrounded by noise, despite how quiet it all was. I never thought near silence could be so loud.


    The worst parts were the mysteries. I could hear things that weren¡¯t rats out there. Some made¡­ slopping sounds. Like meat slapping and dragging against stone. Others made sounds like rattling chains. They were far but the thought of running into them chilled me. I was healed, I was ready, and my soul had been lightened but, I was still in danger. So much danger.


    I stalked the tunnels, moving from dark alcove to dark alcove. My goal today was simple. It was time to start another fight to the death. This time without suffering nearly as terrible injuries, hopefully.


    I needed another big rat.


    There were smaller groups I ran into. And for once, I didn¡¯t avoid them.


    [4]


    [5]


    [4]


    [4]


    They turned a corner. I¡¯d realized something interesting. The rats were somewhat starving. They formed groups and then ate other rats. I¡¯d seen it. Any lone rat was usually prey. Sometimes bigger groups came out ahead or rarely, formed into an even bigger group. In a way, it was fascinating. In another, it was horrifying. It was only a matter of time before I ran into another horde.


    I waited in the dark. The rats this time were only the size of small dogs. Hopefully an easy fight.


    They approached my side of the walkway. Normally I¡¯d have run long before this, having heard their approach. This time I didn¡¯t, waiting in silence.


    They didn¡¯t like the dark. They hesitated, trying to peer in, hoping to see if there was a predator there.


    There was.


    I burst out, running at them. I aimed for the strongest first, feeling my foot launch it back and down the pathway. The rats were surprised and jumped back in fear. A far cry from the first rat I¡¯d fought. They were fast, they could get away, but running away didn¡¯t seem to be in the blood of rats down here. Cowards, they were not.


    I was on the second one immediately. I¡¯d been taught the aggression of rats and I used those lessons well. My fingers wrapped around dirty fur and slammed the creature''s head into the stone as fast and as hard as I could. It was dead within moments.


    The other two came at me then. Biting, flailing, scratching. Beads of blood ran down my legs but another quick kick launched another and I made short work of the second. The first rat was coming back now. Stronger, faster than the others. Even stronger than me. It was faster, more durable, and had more strength, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    I dodged its lunge and grabbed its tail, taking another lesson from another creature. This time the toad man. I swung and huffed, as I slammed the rat into the stone. I tried to go for a second swing but that turned out to be a mistake. I felt the second to last rat latch onto my foot and not let go. I hadn¡¯t been paying enough attention to it, too in the moment.


    It made me drop the rat and from there, it devolved into an annoying fight of claws, teeth, biting, and stomps and kicks.


    I won in the end, but with an annoying amount of damage. Not dangerous or deadly or anything but another ten of those and I¡¯d be right back where I was before. I needed to be more careful.


    Especially with the prey I was going after.


    I continued on my way, idly tearing off the fur of one of the bigger rats and eating its flesh. I was used to it by now. It was amazing what you could get used to.


    Finally though, I saw what I wanted.


    [6]


    I frowned.


    It was bigger. The same size as the rat that had nearly killed me. But a whole level weaker. But, I knew. I could tell. This wouldn¡¯t be the same as fighting the [5] rat. This was¡­ a qualitative difference. A big jump up in strength and power and speed.


    Not to mention, it¡¯d be less lopsided like the weaker rats. The last [5] rat had only very technically been as strong as a human. Its weight and size had hampered it, a lot. This rat was going to sail past that point.


    I waited, cautiously. But this time, I wasn¡¯t going to waste an advantage. Tools in fighting only made you weaker. No one who had ever used a weapon regularly had gotten that much stronger than someone who used their bare bodies and fists. It was frowned upon for a reason.


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    But this wasn¡¯t just some training, this was a fight to the death.


    It approached and I held my breath as the tap of its claws against the stone echoed out. Closer. Closer. Till finally-


    A bright light erupted into the rat¡¯s vision. It hissed and squeaked but I was on it in a flash, punching into its head. I¡¯d learned. I didn¡¯t have claws or fangs. I had fists and teeth. And my teeth were broken. For once, that was in my favor.


    One fist didn¡¯t do anything but I didn¡¯t let up, wailing into it. But the rat proved different than the weak ones. Even half blind, it attacked, lunging at me with teeth open to latch on and claws ready to rake into me. I didn¡¯t let it. Fast it may be, so incredibly fast, but I was stronger now. My perception and speed had grown and it wasn¡¯t as fast as the last one. Barely, I dodged. It soared past me and by the time I turned it was already jumping at me again, teeth nearly at my head.


    So fast-!


    A panicked duck was all that saved me from losing an eye at best.


    This time I reacted the same moment I heard its claws touch the ground. I threw out a punch, feeling its nose connect with it. I couldn¡¯t let this thing get on top of me. That tackle was far more deadly than it seemed. If they got you on the ground they could maul you with every claw as fast as they could run. You¡¯d be dead in moments. I had the dozens of crisscrossing scars across my chest to prove it.


    I didn¡¯t let up. Letting up on aggression meant death with these things. Blow after blow rained into its head while it snapped and tried to bite at me, bulldozing into my legs, trying to latch on. I moved, knees smacking into it when it decided to stay low but injuries were unavoidable. It clawed at my thighs and bit into them, nearly taking a chunk before a sharp combo of knee and elbow made it let go.


    Finally, I realized I¡¯d been going about things wrong. I¡¯d never kill it. Not with fists in the realm of human still. The skull was too thick. I couldn¡¯t shatter bone yet with them. I needed to learn further from the rats.


    I backed away, pretending like I was going to run. It was only prior experience that let me avoid its flying form going through the air. The moment it sailed past me, I leapt, crashing on top of it. It bucked and railed, going ballistic as it felt my full body weight press it down. It rolled, it tried to bite me, but I held on. Both arms wrapped around it as I bit into its neck.


    My broken front teeth acted like the world¡¯s least effective shiv. But I¡¯d done this with flat teeth once, I could do it with this. I bit and bit and bit, my teeth sinking in, causing it to bleed. I aimed for the artery but a bucking, frantic, angry rat was a difficult opponent to aim for at the best of times.


    Minutes passed and finally, I bit into something more important. Or had just torn my way inside.


    Blood came out in torrents now, far more than the last time I¡¯d done this. Blood poured into my mouth but I¡¯d been eating raw dead rats. I was used to this by now and didn¡¯t stop biting and biting and biting and-


    And it was dead. I blinked, before quickly moving. It was dead but fighting was loud. Something would come. I needed to get the hell out of here right now, immediately.


    Turn after turn came and went and finally, I slowed, hiding in a dark alcove I¡¯d prepared, the light already busted.


    I waited, listening. Focusing, making sure not a single sound was missed. A dozen minutes must have passed. Nothing was growing louder. Nothing was coming after me.


    I breathed a sigh of relief, that just came out as a mouthful of blood. I found it amusing. I had spit out a mouthful of blood but it wasn¡¯t mine for once. I had also won. And far easier than last time.


    My body was covered in wounds, yes, but they were mostly minor. Scratches and divots, sure, but the only really bad one was that bite on my leg. I¡¯d say that one was going to take stitches but it¡¯s not like I had that down here. I¡¯d simply have to hope for the best like the rest of my wounds. More parts of me might be going green though. The flesh that didn¡¯t close had a habit of doing that I¡¯d noticed.


    I breathed, thinking back to the battle.


    I¡¯d underestimated their speed again. I thought I had it, that I was ready, but the jump from [5] to [6] was crazy. It was a miracle and a half that I¡¯d won the fight against that first rat. The next problem was damage. I¡¯d had half a plan but I should have thought about it more. I¡¯d thought I¡¯d just fight and maybe win but I hadn¡¯t planned far enough ahead. I was always going to have to bite into its neck, I had no other realistic ways of killing these things right now. Well, not quickly at least. A half hour of bludgeoning its head in might work but by that time something else would¡¯ve shown up and then it was my speed against both of theirs. A losing battle if there ever was one.


    What else?


    Half an hour must¡¯ve passed while I thought about it. I wasn¡¯t stupid but I also wasn¡¯t a fighting prodigy. Hell, I¡¯d been in a grand total of three fights now where I wasn¡¯t single handledly destroyed.


    Pride and joy lit up inside me at that.


    It wasn¡¯t that long ago that I was permanently stuck at power level [1]. Now I was- No. No it didn¡¯t matter what I was, I had to use my own skills here to judge that. Listening to a machine about how strong I was, even looking up at my own, it was a disaster waiting to happen. But still, I¡¯d progressed. I¡¯d grown to at least [4] and was well on my way to growing farther.


    I almost couldn¡¯t believe it. That I was [4] times stronger than I used to be. That I had won three fights. It felt like a dream come true. How strange, to feel so much joy and pleasure at purely winning. It almost felt, sacrilegious. Like I was defying the world and the heavens. Maybe I was. But more than anything, even diseased, infected, and with a litany of health issues¡­ even through all the pain and the misery, I took in the sewer.


    The river of piss and shit, the squeaking of massive rats, the faint noises of flesh smacking on stone, the rattling of chains, the dark alcoves, the terrible grime seeping into me. In all ways, it was horrible. Beyond horrible. Others might have just given up long before they had to eat raw rat.


    And yet¡­


    I felt so much joy. It almost scared me.


    I was fighting things, dangerous things. And I was winning.


    This, This! This was what it meant to be a Warrior!


    *****


    In the deep darkness below the city¡­


    A broad grin stretched over broken teeth and through torn lips. Eyes lit up with passion.


    And a new monster was born.

 Chapter 17: Mutai Goes Buck Wild

    ¡°Rip and Tear until it is done.¡± - Wild man from the sewers.


    *****


    The days swam together but now they were exciting in a way previously lacked. Fighting. It sang to me, unlike anything else. It was a way and form of improvement denied to me for so long. What use was fighting when you were weaker than a child? Who would you even fight?


    But now! Now I could. I¡¯d stockpiled meat too. My hole was too small, so I¡¯d begun clawing and clawing at it with my fingernails. The rock was tough but my fingernails and fingers would heal, it wouldn¡¯t. In a few more months, I might even be comfortable.


    In the meantime, I¡¯d begun devouring meat. Fighting was exhausting but I could feel it flowing through me. Knowledge, experience, skill. The smaller rats needed to be attacked a certain way, they would attack a certain way, and my fists knew where and how to hit.


    A kick here, a punch there, a throw, a stomp, it was almost amusingly fun to fight the smaller rats. But they were no challenge. They were just annoyances between me and the real enemy. I still avoided the bigger groups because strength could only do so much against numbers, but I ruthlessly hunted down the bigger rats.


    Most were the same I¡¯d fought before. But a few¡­


    [7]


    It was night and day between now and my first fight. For starters, at some point I began to actually be able to see them move. For the next, tearing out throats with my sharpened teeth was no longer nearly impossibly difficult.


    I didn¡¯t hesitate, blinding it, tackling it, and trying to rip out its throat. It flailed, it kicked, it clawed and bit. But I was Mutai. I was a Warrior! And I wasn¡¯t going to die here. I gripped its body close and bit and tore. But I ended up far too wounded from it. To the point I had to take it easy for over a week after a single fight.


    The water area was still deathly worrying and once, I¡¯d even heard a croak. I had run with all my speed without looking back and heard nothing following me, but the fear had been real.


    This wasn¡¯t tenable. It was a miracle I¡¯d survived the sickness and it was a miracle the toadman hadn¡¯t returned and ran into me. I needed some way to store the water. Easier said than done. All I had were half eaten rat corpses.


    But the things you¡¯ll do in the name of survival, they¡¯re gruesome.


    A hollowed and ripped open rat¡­ technically could contain water.


    It wasn¡¯t the only tool I made use of. My hair had begun getting too long and in the way. It was already grimy enough, it needed to go. A lot of trial and error with rat bones and claws finally saw it coming off. I stared at my dark hair coming off in chunks and pieces. The water wasn¡¯t nearly reflective enough but I did my best.


    I¡¯d also had the bright idea to start trying to use the tools to better dig out the hole. It made too much noise. A pity. But oh well, what can you do?


    I fought. More and more. Energy and vigor filled me. But I had to improve my ability to limit damage. Which was easier said than done. The only way I could properly fight was to bite their necks through to cause them to bleed out.


    Or was it?


    The days all blended together but today, I decided I would try something new.


    *****


    It took a while but I found a [6] rat. I had to search farther for them and dodge not one but two hordes of rats. That was a worrying development to find. I had no idea what they were eating besides each other. Well, if there was anything else, I hadn¡¯t run into it yet.


    This time, I fought differently. I still blinded and ambushed it but I didn¡¯t tackle it this time. I focused and punched. I was cautious, my aggression was great but I reined it in. My punches slammed into its face over and over, dazing it, but doing no real damage.


    It squeaked and yelled but I merely grinned and kept going. A dodge, a kick, a roll, but always punch after punch, backtracking along the walkway. It always came at me, squeaking in rage. But I didn¡¯t stop. Not even when I heard more squeaks coming.


    What finally showed up first was a small group of five and not a horde, thankfully. But I finally got to see something I hadn¡¯t before. The enemy rats didn¡¯t rush to help their fellow, they attacked us both. I¡¯d seen rats fight each other but never a smaller group go after a bigger one.


    That only left two for me to deal with and they were dead quickly, only being [3] and [4]. The rat for its end didn¡¯t take long to tear its fellow brethren apart either. There was a brief moment of pause, as we both stood among corpses, and glared at each other. Well, it glared and I grinned like a lunatic. I couldn¡¯t help it. Every fight was fun and new now. Perhaps I¡¯d gone insane down here but then again, none of the battles felt like I was going to die.


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    Even now, I knew I was going to win.


    It rushed and I rained more blows into its face, only barely managing not to lose a finger, and constantly having to dodge and move to not be hurt. Once I even had to shove it into the water and do a palm strike for breathing room but always we fought. Another two groups ambushed us but neither were any threat.


    As the minutes ticked by, it slowed.


    And it slowed.


    More and more.


    It was getting tired, which baffled me. I was tired, sure, but not exhausted. It was stronger, it had better everything than me. How was it tiring out more quickly? The thought plagued my mind as it lunged, tried to tackle me, bit at my legs, and clawed at me.


    Finally, it clicked.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never been pushed this far have you?¡±


    My voice felt rusty and broken, coming out strangely hoarse through my broken teeth. I even nearly cut my tongue. But it was true. This rat had more endurance but that didn¡¯t mean it could use it all. It also didn¡¯t know how to conserve its stamina. It was going all out, trying to hunt and kill and survive, and it was dooming it. Humans were stronger than they knew and I guess so were rats. This might be the most tired it had ever been.


    I laughed, letting my joy ring out. There was no use being too silent in fights, I¡¯d already made too much noise in every single one I¡¯d fought.


    I continued and finally, it stopped, panting, dazed from my blows.


    Then came a part of the fight I didn¡¯t enjoy.


    I punched and punched and punched and-


    Stopped.


    Everything in my body froze all at once as I thought about what I was doing and why. I had won the fight. I wasn¡¯t hungry. It¡­ my pupils shook.


    It wasn¡¯t a threat to me.


    The other rats, they could¡¯ve gotten in the way. They made my fight more dangerous. They had to go. They had to die. But this one¡­ there was no more fight. I¡¯d won. I was just killing it because¡­ it would kill me? It was dangerous?


    I didn¡¯t need to kill it.


    I was stronger than it.


    I had won the fight.


    Something in me broke open. A sound like steam and a groan escaped my mouth, as a mix of feelings unlike any other arose within me.


    I was stronger. I¡¯d won. I didn¡¯t need to kill it. I had won without killing. I could let it live.


    Those, none of those had ever been real options before. It was kill or be killed and now, and now! Here I was, seeking a fight, finding it, and winning! All without needing to kill anything!


    Tears streamed from my eyes.


    I was feeling so much.


    Joy, relief, shock, pride. I had won. I had truly won. It was no longer just a desperate scramble for survival. I had grown strong enough to decide, to choose, to seek and fight, and to let go if I wanted to. Death, death was now only an option.


    That kind of power, that kind of choice, it floored me.


    ¡°Ha¡­ha¡­.hahaha!¡±


    I stared at the stone ceiling, letting my emotions roll over me. I don¡¯t know how long I stood there, experiencing the shock and awe, but I was broken out of it as I heard the sound of claws on stone. The rat had begun to stand.


    I could kill it. I could.


    But what would be the point?


    I wasn¡¯t hungry. I didn¡¯t like killing. It was gruesome and gross and reminded me of the worst parts of my family''s lives. The day they were all taken away. The look in the rat¡¯s eyes was always the same way my mother¡¯s was. That emptiness, the look of the soul leaving the body, I truly hated it. It hurt me every time but I¡¯d grown numb to it now.


    But it didn¡¯t need to be that way anymore.


    Killing gained me nothing. Not anymore. Not from this rat.


    How hadn¡¯t I realized this earlier? Fighting¡­ fighting without having to kill was the best. Not only that, but it was grossly overpowering. A warrior held life and death in their hands. Not just death. Could I even call myself a true warrior, if I wasn¡¯t strong enough to survive without killing?


    I laughed out loud again and punched the rat in the head. It fell, knocked out.


    I stretched, feeling lighter than air.


    Death would come. I¡¯d be forced to kill things too strong for me to survive without doing so. I also still needed to eat. Survival of the fittest after all.


    But I had choice now.


    It was like the sweetest of elixirs. I hadn¡¯t felt this good since I¡¯d been in a healing tank.


    And not only that! I¡¯d won with my fists without taking any damage! I barely even felt that tired. This, this! Now this was winning! I¡¯d won in every way that counted, in every way that mattered, in every way that a warrior could!


    It was intoxicating, being this strong!


    ¡°Come on you rats! Fight me! Come one, come all! I¡¯ll show you how strong this Mutai is!¡±


    I ran, sprinting down the tunnels. I needed to find more! More rats to fight! More rats to win against!


    Not in a desperate scramble for survival, but as a true warrior!

 Chapter 18: Meat and Chains

    We all make mistakes. Some take longer than others to materialize. Some are barely survived, if at all. Some doom you.


    I was trying to decide which I¡¯d just run into as I looked at my burnt arm and heard the wailing.


    ¡°I was too cocky.¡± I chuckled to myself.


    I leaned back against the wall and decided to think about my family for now.


    I¡¯d have to make a choice soon.


    *****


    Earlier


    I could feel the power radiating through me! I felt stronger than I had, I was stronger than I ever was and I embraced it fully. I ran down the corridors, running into different groups of rats. The smaller ones I tackled, fought, and scrapped. I was sadly forced to kill them, their small size actually making it harder to keep alive than to not when it came down to it.


    The next fight I tried harder to manage it and ended up having to fight more and more rats that showed up. Unusually, these all seemed to just solidly gang up on me. I didn¡¯t know by what esoteric rules the rats decided who was foe and ally among their kind but this time I seemed to have lost that gamble. Three become four became seven became a dozen.


    And by the end of it?


    I left twelve rats the size of small dogs beaten, bruised, and hurt. But alive. And with only mild injuries to show for it. None of them would even scar! I laughed, taking it all in. It was beyond intoxicating for once in my life to be strong. To fight things that would kill a weaker man, a weaker Mutai, a hundred times over, and come out on top!


    My soul felt light, my fists felt solid, my feet felt steady, and despite everything, I felt better than I ever had. If I got strong enough, I might even be able to purge the diseased flesh! I was truly living on top of the world, despite being in a sewer!


    The fighting continued and continued, each one bringing with it more than I could have ever hoped to gain. New ways to fight, new ways to move, new quickness, new movements. I learned quickly, every injury a new lesson on what to avoid. I couldn¡¯t just win. I had to win while taking as little damage as possible and keeping my enemies alive.


    That last one was purely a luxury and because of that, it was the sweetest of victories.


    But it also served as effective training. In a few ways, I was hobbling myself, making it harder to fight. In others, I was learning how to properly fight. Not all opponents would be as easy as these rats. Not all would simply fall from jumping on the big ones and biting into their neck or throwing the smaller ones towards the ground. No. I¡¯d seen that toad man. He was going to take this sort of fighting, my punches to his body.


    I grinned in a pained grimace. I was also going to take his own move and use it against him. Make him know how it feels to have your stomach nearly punched through.


    Days became weeks and changes were apparent. Smaller rats seemed to join together more, groups got bigger, and hordes became more common. I could outrun them with ease now but once, just once, I decided to try and fight one.


    It was glorious.


    It was the most enduring, longest lasting fight I had. I had to constantly back peddle, practically running backwards, while throwing out mostly kicks but also a few punches here and there. Stomping and killing the weaker rats when I could, diving into turns to get even a single moment more of pause, hiding in dark alcoves and ambushing them with light from my Vambrace. I had thought it impossible to fight a horde and in many, many ways, I wasn¡¯t wrong. But no challenge would stop me! I would push the boundaries till it broke. I couldn¡¯t fight a horde, but I could slowly destroy it over time.


    Long lasting it may have been but nothing could be forever. A large rat intervened and then I was forced to run away for all my might. I managed to avoid the horde but it was the first time I had to run away and fight a large rat. It was dangerous. Its claws raked into my back and nearly hit something vital. I fought with all my might for that one, but any delay allowed the horde to catch up.


    I finally managed to both kill it and run away from the horde. In many ways, it reminded me of my first day here but the difference was staggering. Hurt? Yeah, I was hurt, but I had won and felt better than ever. I would have liked to beat the horde but some things just weren¡¯t possible without being able to hit a whole lot of enemies at once. I was many things, but not an army.


    When the big rats started to group up, I struggled. Fighting two torso sized rats was far more than twice as difficult and practically eliminated half my advantages and made so fighting cautiously was the only option. I would call that battle a draw, at first. I got away and one seemed to be knocked out.


    Still, I didn¡¯t stop. The things I could learn from fighting two enemies at once was vast. I got better, I got stronger! And I explored further.


    New enemies awaited. I¡¯d practically beaten all the rats I could but I still didn¡¯t know if I was ready for the toad man. But I¡¯d heard the slopping of meat and the smacking of chains. It was finally time to explore those corridors.


    Carefully, I walked down, keeping my eyes open. The first thing I noticed was how many more rats were here. They seemed to be everywhere and that was saying something. And they always attacked on sight, en mass. Their power level was the only thing keeping me from being totally overwhelmed.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    [2]


    [3]


    The vast majority were just normal rats.


    Finally though, I found the source of the slopping meat sound. I thought I was prepared for anything. I expected a new enemy, something that slapped against the ground to move.


    I was not ready for what I saw.


    I turned the corner, only to see what seemed like a hundred rats eating something. For once, to my astonishment, they ignored me totally and completely. The thing, whatever it was, kept moving. I could barely see what it was underneath all the rats.


    It walked forward, mindlessly, making large meaty sounds on the ground.


    [2]


    It was, weak. Pitifully so. Whatever this creature was, it was no enemy. It was a poor victim of rats. I heard a loud meaty thwack and turned towards the source. Another creature, but this one had come from the ceiling. I only now noticed a hole there.


    It stood and-


    My heart broke and my mind spun.


    For starters, this thing¡­ it was dead. No matter what, it was a hundred percent dead. It looked like a person but, bloated. Skin stripped away but somehow filled in with more, meat. My first thought was a zombie. I¡¯d heard rumors they existed but to see one¡­ but if it was one, it wasn¡¯t anything like the stories.


    Where its legs should have been was just, tumors. More like an elephant¡¯s legs than a person''s. It was horrifying.


    Its clothes were, in a way, the worst part though.


    Because I recognized them.


    Stained and bloody they might be, but I¡¯d never forget that symbol. Two lines and a large crescent underneath. A smile.


    The Smile Company.


    I grimaced. The Smile Company was the one that followed after Vega, destroying the land and stripping it of its resources. Its HQ was here in the city but it apparently was spread all around, through many locations. Their people had been the ones to destroy my island for resources and force me to go to Vega City, a deal between them and Vega himself.


    I¡¯d mostly thought of them like the world¡¯s worst, most cruel vultures. Terrible, awful, and annoying, but my hatred towards them had been far more minor in comparison. They hadn¡¯t killed my family or destroyed my village, just my island. Terrible but, I had bigger worries and sources of vengeance.


    Looking at this though, it had a good way of growing my hatred in rapid time.


    I¡¯d been hearing these sounds for the entire time I¡¯d been down here. This was¡­ that had to be at least hundreds of people. How many more places did they dump their failed experiments out at? How long had they been doing it? Their kill count had to be higher, a lot higher.


    This¡­ this was evil.


    They were a technology company for god¡¯s sake¡­ why would they need to do so much human experimentation? Why would they need to kill so many? What on Vega were they doing?


    Bile in my mouth, I turned away. I knew what the rats were eating now and was far worse for it. There was no helping these¡­ Abominations. Their soul was gone, all that was left was a rotting corpse walking around, in all the wrong ways.


    I¡¯d make sure to stop this when I could, if I ever got strong enough. Fighting a company rather than a person seemed, nearly impossible. But I¡¯d figure it out. They deserved that and more for what they had done.


    Shaking off the malaise, horror, and disgust, I returned to my search. Meat wasn¡¯t the only sound I¡¯d picked up echoing across the tunnels. There were also chains. The sounds seemed to be louder, or perhaps just echoed more, because it took me a while to find and get to their source.


    I could hear them now, on the other side of the tunnel turn after I crossed one of the wooden bridges. Whatever it was was just around the corner.


    I prepared myself, smiling. Whatever this was, it was going to probably be a new enemy. I had no reason to believe anything that stayed down here for a long time was going to be anything short of hostile. I took a deep breath, and turned.


    I¡¯d expected chains.


    But until that exact moment, I hadn¡¯t realized that I¡¯d expected more than chains. Humanoid, two arms, two legs, bald, even a face, but composed entirely out of chains. Every step it took seemed to cause a million chains to grind against each other and even just standing still, its body seemed to be in constant motion. The chains moving almost like liquid through it.


    And yet all of that paled before one very important realization. One that made my heart skip a beat and my body go cold.


    [15]


    Oh.


    It turned towards me, eyes of glowing red narrowing.


    I tried to run but it raised a hand and snapped a finger.


    I saw a spark and then all was fire.


    *****


    I barely made it out alive. It hadn¡¯t even truly bothered to attack me. It had simply caused a spark and the sewer gas had exploded. A lucky, fearful dive into the nasty water had saved most of me but I felt like I had been boiled alive and my right arm had been burnt entirely. It was a miracle my Vambrace still worked at all.


    Now everything was in motion. Seeing me had set that thing off. It was some kinda, some sorta Chain Wraith. The ability to make sparks down here was far more dangerous than I had ever thought. I was practically sitting on top of a bomb at all times.


    I could hear explosions now, many explosions, which was bad. I was at home. If the noise was reaching me, it was only a matter of time before they reached the alligators below. They would come up and I would die. I could run away but how long till the chain wraith¡¯s were gone? Because there was definitely more than one.


    I couldn¡¯t fight those things. They were far beyond me. If I was truly unlucky, which seemed probable given my luck, they were actively searching and hunting for me right now. They were probably running into rats.


    I poked the bear and now I had a choice to make.


    I either run far, far away, and hope to find somewhere else I can escape.


    Or I explore the tunnel or the water room and potentially have to fight toad man or some new horrifically dangerous creature.


    ¡°I was definitely too cocky.¡± I chuckled.


    The choice was obvious and there was no time to spare.


    The river below was already stirring and the explosions were growing louder.


    It was time to fight a toad man.

 Chapter 19: Mutai VS Toad Man! Round 1!

    The choice wasn¡¯t really a choice.


    Trying to go somewhere else in the tunnels would get me killed, for sure. The explosions were only growing louder. I¡¯d set something off with the chain wraiths. I just had to hope the giant alligators would stop them.


    That left the tunnel at the end of the water room and the right of it that seemed to lead to a supersized version of the sewers. A whole vast area that seemed to be endlessly covered in a thin sheet of clean water.


    The problem was that nothing was there.


    Everything was everywhere. There were rats, alligators, horrible meat monstrosities, toad men, and chain wraiths. The sewers were many things but not desolate. A giant, wide, empty area? Unlikely. Considering I never saw any creatures running through there, it really meant only one thing.


    Something down that way was strong.


    I hadn¡¯t noticed it at first, but the closer I had gotten to the chain wraiths, the less rats I saw. The answer was obvious, it was the same reason almost none were near the alligators. Things didn¡¯t go near apex predators if they didn¡¯t have to.


    Caution had been quite literally exploded back into me. I cringed at the past. I¡¯d been so carefree, it was amazing I hadn¡¯t died when meeting something at power level [15]. Even if it wouldn¡¯t have helped¡­ I could have taken far more time to train up, been far more cautious, been quieter. I¡¯d approached it like I was ready for a fight when I should¡¯ve approached it like a terrified mouse ready to bolt. And in stealth. Even just backing up a few tunnels to get a better view of it from afar.


    I¡¯d messed up and now I had to leave.


    I wasn¡¯t even shocked when I saw the same toad man standing there at the entrance of the tunnel. What did bother me was that in the moment before it noticed me, it had been looking down the water room tunnels with a worried expression. That put a few different things and pieces in my mind together.


    This was a guard and there was definitely something dangerous down that way.


    He was worried something was going to come this way. Time was more limited than I thought.


    But all of that fell away as its eyes gazed at me. The explosions, the rats, the sewer, the chain wraiths, my injuries, all of it fell away. I took in its power level.


    [8]


    Still the same.


    The toad man looked shocked to see me and for my part¡­ I was ready.


    This thing had nearly killed me. It had permanently broken my face. My nose hadn¡¯t healed right and breathing was harder now. My front teeth were broken and I still sometimes cut my lips or tongue on them. It hurt. Everything hurt all the time and I¡¯d gotten used to it, but it still hurt.


    And that gut punch¡­ it had been the single most debilitating and shocking thing I had ever felt in my life. It had practically knocked the soul and air out of me all in one go. I limbered up, stretching. There was going to be no ambush. There couldn¡¯t be or I¡¯d have taken it. Idly, I¡¯d hoped I could just sneak by and avoid this fight, but it had been a long time coming.


    I was stronger now. Not as strong as it¡­ but stronger.


    I told myself I¡¯d avoid it but I needed to know the gap. I had used my Vambrace¡¯s power function before the fight. I strongly doubted it would make me confident but I needed to know what I was dealing with.


    The answer had shocked me.


    [6.12]


    I¡¯d shot all the way past normal human. I¡¯d skipped a power level. Or at least, I hadn¡¯t paid any attention to it while I was at it. Utter insanity. I was now around as strong as a human that actually worked out decently. It felt like too much and too little all at once. But given the environment, my rough health, and even my diet¡­ it was more than I could ask for. A lot more.


    But it would still be impossibly difficult. It was about the equivalent of a fit human versus one that went to the gym and pounded at weights every single day. Hell, I had a gut feeling it wasn¡¯t exactly at the low part of an [8] either.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be like this you know.¡± I said. ¡°You could just let me go. I just want out of the sewer.¡±


    If it understood any of my words, it showed no sign of it. Well, besides an increasingly angry glare. What did it have to be angry about? That it hadn¡¯t killed me last time? I frowned, remembering how it had spit on me. It might not understand my language but it most certainly had human intelligence.


    It got into a pose built for power and a part of me¡­  sighed in relief.


    ¡°Thank god. I really wanted to beat your ass.¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    It rushed me, a fist the size of my head inches away from my face. I moved, letting out a scream as I launched my own fist at his. A toady croak mixed with a grunt was the only response as it dodged. For a brief moment, both our fists were extended past each other''s heads, eyes locking.


    It tried to throw a gut punch in that moment, a fist coming from my blind spot but I¡¯d been waiting for it. A quick side step and I smashed my elbow across its face. If it was mad before it looked pissed now. I didn¡¯t stop, raining blow after blow into it. It crossed its arms, blocking my punches, before surging forth and ignoring a jab to its face to land one across my chest.


    My chest creaked but my eyes blazed.


    Punch after punch was exchanged, blocking forgotten. Punches like cannonballs rained down on me. My face, my chest, my stomach, blow after blow after blow slammed into me. My stomach hurt, my arm cried out in agony, my lip cracked and my head felt rattled but I didn¡¯t stop. I pushed, raining just as many blows onto this damn toad! My punches had less effect but they weren¡¯t doing nothing.


    If you want a battle of endurance, I¡¯m not going to lose you bastard!


    With a mighty croak, the toad man threw a punch aiming to knock me out. But it might as well have been shouted from the rooftops. All power, no technique! I ducked down, feeling the wind blast over my head and came up in a rising uppercut, slamming the damn thing in the jaw.


    It stumbled back and I felt a grin stretch across me, blood leaking from the corners of my mouth. Take that you bastard.


    It stared at me, murder in its eyes, and let out a loud warcry. It ran in and no longer was I given the luxury of returning blows. Every punch felt just as strong as that one to the gut it had once given me and I didn¡¯t dare let any touch me. I ducked, weaved, and frantically dove out of the way. I couldn¡¯t afford to be hit by these, I knew. They were too strong.


    Then the toad did something I wasn¡¯t expecting.


    A leg came up, slamming into my side like a wrecking ball. I grit my teeth as I felt something break and was launched across the water. I frantically got up, narrowly missing a follow up leg drop that nearly saw a webbed heel breaking my head open. The toad was done playing around and I¡¯d severely underestimated its leg strength.


    At least one of my ribs was broken and breathing had suddenly become a pained, awful affair.


    And the fight had only just begun. It launched itself at me, its feet slamming into the ground and practically causing it to fire itself at me like a gun. It leapt, soaring over my head and I turned up just in time to realize it had one palm out and the other arm was cocked back for a punch.


    My eyes widened and I dropped, letting my legs collapse under me, as a fist came within centimeters of breaking my skull. I felt the wind from that punch blow back my hair as the toad man finished his leap. He must¡¯ve been rusty or really playing with me before because suddenly I was having to deal with a monster of movement.


    It pushed down again as soon as it landed and leapt at me, right leg fully sideways and prepared for a bone shattering kick. I didn¡¯t think, there wasn¡¯t time. I simply moved.


    It wasn¡¯t the only one that could jump.


    The quickest jump of my life narrowly had me dodging the leg, yet before I could even land, he did, throwing out a kick with the other leg that slammed into my chest. I winced as I felt my sternum nearly crack. This thing was a monster.


    Explosions rippled the chamber as it stared at me, one leg still extended. I breathed heavy, exhaustion clawing at me, one rib broken, and a mess of bruises forming on the rest of me. In all ways that mattered, I hadn¡¯t won any of that exchange. It was simply too fast, too strong, and too smart. It may look like an action figure toad made real but it was a monster with the mind of a person and far too much power for me.


    But I¡¯d win. I didn¡¯t know how, it may not even be possible, but I was going to figure out a way. Because not doing so meant death.


    I took a pained breath, feeling the way my body radiated and cried out to me. Every painful breath, every painful bruise, the beat of my heart, the air out my lungs, the blood pumping in my veins. Sweat poured down and my eyes locked on my target. I needed to win and I was going to give it all I had to make sure that was possible.


    I ran at him, feeling the water and stone beneath my feet. The putrid air and the humidity of the water. The squeaks of rats and the roars of alligators and the explosives of the chains. I took it all in and breathed it all out. It was only me and him and I was going to win.


    A blow came for my face that I ducked, feeling the air blow past my ear. Another came for me, and I turned, feeling my muscles stretch taunt, pulling me away from the inevitable. My own punch pushed through, burnt and black, wounded, infected, but with all the force I could muster anyway. It slammed into the side of its face and it croaked.


    More punches came for me but I didn¡¯t block or take them this time. I stared, my focus going into overtime as I dodged each and every one. They got faster and faster, but I forced myself to go farther. If I could see them, if I could see them! I could dodge them!


    Blow after blow after blow, dodge after dodge after dodge. I felt my bones crack against his face, his head, and his neck. He guarded, I aimed for his chest and sides, he moved, I followed. A rising knee came for me, I thrust one palm down meeting it and forcing myself above him for a split second. My elbow came down, cracking into his face.


    And for the first time, he bled. Purplish blood came out near the front of its face, slightly dribbling down. The first sign that it had taken any damage.


    It reacted with rage. The punches were harder to see, almost impossible to dodge. My head was moving so fast that it hurt and tracking every kick was nearly an impossible task. I couldn¡¯t see them, the punches too fast. When I felt a knee slam into my gut this time, it felt inevitable.


    A spinning kick from the toad was the follow up, cracking my jaw with its heel and sending me spinning away across the water.


    I struggled to get up. My vision was going dark and I couldn¡¯t breathe. There was no air. I dry heaved and gagged, blood pouring out my mouth. I was on my hands and knees, palms splayed out, trying to get back up. I turned, sweat clouding my vision as I struggled to pull in a breath. The toad man was approaching.


    This time, I knew. He wasn¡¯t going to let me leave alive if he caught me.


    Am I¡­ going to die here? After all this? After all this suffering, was this going to be it?


    No.


    I smiled, catching the toad man by surprise before-


    My fist punched into the ground. Again and again and again. A primal roar forced its way out of me as I screamed and felt my knuckles crack against the stone. As I forced air to come into me faster and faster, breathing faster and faster.


    With a roar I slammed my fists down and forced myself up.


    No more thought. No more worries.


    Only the fight!

 Chapter 20: Mutai VS Toad Man! Round 2! A Fiery Passion Awakens!

    Fists like lightning, dodges like the wind. The air parted as the toad came at me like a bullet. Laughter rang out but who could say whose? A fist breaks through. Blood roars, explosions ring in the background, and a dodge becomes more.


    As the fist whips by, the lessons pour in. A bite slams down and the fist recoils as purplish blood pours out. My heart speeds up, faster, faster! Harder! The words bubble up through the haze of my spirit.


    ¡°I will not lose to you! I will not lose here!¡±


    My blows lash out, slamming into flesh over and over again. The toad slides back as I push forward, to the future, to victory. His eyes widen, panic taking them, as he leaps into the air. My eyes travel, only to see him flip around and-


    My laughter rings out as he kicks against the ceiling.


    Like an arrow he shoots towards me, fist extended. My smile threatens to break my face as I do the only thing I can do. No, the only thing I want to do! I lean back, fist primed, before launching it right at his!


    Our fists connect-


    Agony lights up in my mind, but I push through. My hand is breaking, my bones breaking, the muscles tearing. The blood roars, the pounding flow of it screaming in my head as chains scrape and wail with the roar of alligators in the background. I stare into the toad man¡¯s eyes, his focus entirely consumed with me. No longer are those the eyes of arrogance or anger. I only see a warrior''s spirit but one far too weak!


    ¡°AHHHHH!¡±


    Toady eyes widen as my fist pushes through and breaks our stalemate, slamming into his head. He is pushed back, jumping back to get some distance. He bends, legs scrunching up, before he leaps back, leg extended to slam into me.


    My eyes blaze as I copy him. Dashing forward, feeling the weight of my limbs and the blood pouring down and the bruises forming. The pain of my broken teeth, the labored breathing of my nose, all scream at me as the toad¡¯s eyes shine with shock as I do something he could never see coming.


    I leap over his leg, my own extended. A perfect mirror of his move, before slamming it into him. My leg in that moment seems to evolve beyond a mere limb and into a weapon all its own. Like a whip unleashed, it cracks into his side, sending him back for a change.


    Laughter echoes around us as I follow up. No time to breathe, no time to move! I¡¯ll break you down until you¡¯re crying on the floor!


    Fists come but they come slower! Legs kick but knees are rammed into them. My bones creak, the blows hit like cannonballs, but I¡¯m not done yet! The toad seems born for the battle. The way it moves, the way it fights. I¡¯m pushed back despite the second wind.


    A fist slams into my nose, too slow to dodge, and I feel it break all over again as breathing suddenly becomes a nightmare. Blood pours down, air gets harder to breathe. Sweat pushes off my form. My entire body seems to pulse with my heartbeat. Exhaustion begins to take hold and yet the fists keep hammering into me, breaking me, legs snapping into my sides rapidly any chance they can get.


    I¡¯m beaten, bloody, and bruised. In what seems like a split second the fight begins to turn and the toad unleashes a hailstorm of seismic attacks. I smell fire and smoke now, my eyes water, my ears ring, my mouth is full of blood, something cracks in my chest. My eyes shake as every punch feels like being hit by a tree. One arm goes up to defend, burnt black and fractured. Hot agony explodes as it breaks, as the bone pushes through the skin, and more blows hammer on it. I nearly collapse but-


    I laugh.


    I weather the blow. I tank the attacks. I feel them all and take them all!


    I stare into the toad man, no, the Battle Toad¡¯s face. Exhaustion, respect, fear, worry, determination, duty. I can see them all clear as day. I know this toad almost better than I know myself. In this fight, I can almost see his life story through his eyes.


    A guard. A protector. A family man. I know it as sure as I know the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. He¡¯s protecting his home and his family from me. The threat of the sewers. Since when had anything in it ever been kind? Anything but hostile? Anything but a monster?


    Never.


    This is all he knows. And he worries, for this new monster has nearly won. He can feel it, see it, sense it. He¡¯s losing the battle. My smile softens, my grin becomes pure, but none of the adrenaline leaves me.


    Nor any of the plan.


    My left arm, this whole time, has been cocked back. Focused. Waiting. Master¡¯s words echo in my ears as a horrible sensation from the past fills me. Harder. Faster. The feeling of my face shattering against the wet ground. The feeling of my body feeling stunned and locked down. But mostly, the feeling of a punch unlike any other slamming into my gut and breaking my mind.


    Through a bloody nose and a broken mouth, I say the words.


    ¡°Harder.¡±


    He hits harder.


    ¡°Faster.¡±


    He hits faster.


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    My left arm rockets forward and I stare into the Battle Toad¡¯s face as his pupils shake. All my strength! Take it! All of it right into your stomach you bastard!


    ¡°AHHHHHH!¡±


    A gasping toad croak is all that¡¯s said¡­ before he crashes to the ground.


    I heave, sounds and smells and feelings and pain and more and so much more all overwhelming me. Everything is too much, everything is raw, everything is all and happening and, and, and¡­


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    I won.


    It hits like warm water on a cold day, splashing into my brain. My eyes roam down. The toad, lost. I won. I punched him so hard, he collapsed.


    I won.


    Those words nearly kill me as I stumble, feeling drunk. I cry out as I nearly collapse to the ground right with him. The world, it shakes and jumps and jumbles. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening. A quick look around-


    <ol>


    <li> </li>


    </ol>


    Alligators the size of school buses are fighting chain wraiths. Chains wrap around them, pulling tighter, constant fire rippling along them. Whatever explosions would have happened from that, have happened, the alligators burnt black in places. They eat them, their teeth grinding the metal, as rats bigger than any I¡¯d ever seen join in. That¡¯s by far, not the worst part though. That would be¡­


    [??]


    [??]


    [??]


    Not a single one¡¯s power level can be seen. Either the weaker ones have already died or they aren¡¯t here to deal with this kind of battle. The chain wraiths float in the air, while the alligators snap out at them. The rats the size of cars seem to dart through, attacking either side. I have no idea why any of this is happening but it¡¯s a worrying thing for sure. If the chain wraiths win¡­


    A cold shiver goes up my nearly depleted body. I have to get out of here, right now.


    I turn and-


    Oh.


    [???]


    A being like a flood approaches from the water rooms. If not for its shape, I would just assume it was pure water. But pure water doesn¡¯t take the shape of a giant humanoid with a hundred watery tentacles.


    What is with these sewers?!


    That thing! That thing must be over level a hundred!


    My fighting spirit suddenly has somewhere else to be because the urge to run for my life is all that remains. It¡¯s coalescing still, the thin water pulling together more and more. I feel like answers to questions I may have had are right there somewhere but idle curiosity can wait a lifetime if need be. I needed to leave right now.


    I take a step¡­ and freeze.


    The Battle Toad.


    I glance back at it, passed out. Knocked out by my punch. Indecision wars at me for only a second. I rush to it.


    ¡°Get up! You have to get up! Or you¡¯re going to die! Come on!¡± I shake it, kick it even, anything to make it get up.


    Nothing. That punch had every ounce of my being, all of my strength in it. Even now, despite my right arm being broken, it¡¯s my left arm that feels weakest.


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    The Water Elemental is coalescing faster. Even the thin water from over here is starting to pour into it. Bad, very very bad. Time is running out.


    I grab it. With both arms. One is broken, acting more like a broken lever than any kind of arm. The other is so weak that the muscles have been torn to pieces. His body is dragged across the ground, but it¡¯s too slow. Far too slow.


    ¡°Fuck, come on! Come on, come on, come on! You can fight me that hard but can¡¯t wake the hell up?! I barely even hit you! What about your family toad? I know you have one, I saw that look in your eyes! You aren¡¯t going to die here like this, you bastard! How dare you make me do all this work huh?!¡±


    My arms nearly give out, the adrenaline is pouring out of me. My arms are like lead balloons filled with broken meat with no strength in them. All seems lost. The toad will die. If I stay here, so will I. There¡¯s no way that thing will simply let us be when it becomes whole and can focus on us. Nothing here has been that kind of kind.


    I could leave him. I need to leave him. He nearly killed me, tried to kill me, would have gladly killed me. He¡¯s an enemy. Letting enemies live is the luxury of the strong. I¡¯m not this strong yet. I can¡¯t afford this luxury. He isn¡¯t worth my life.


    That¡¯s all of what my brain says. It¡¯s right, as brains so often are.


    But my spirit roars and screams and bellows. I am the decider of things, not logic, not my brain, not anything else!


    I do what I want!


    And I don¡¯t want my first good sparring partner to die!


    ¡°Get up you fucking bastard!¡±


    I scream, pulling with all my might. He¡¯s dragged faster, my limbs barely responding but responding all the same. We have seconds at best and-


    A kick. I nearly stumble with the force but barely, just barely, the toad kicked.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Faster, faster, we head for the tunnel, the toad blearily coming to awareness. Wet stone goes to hard rock and-


    Water slams into me, a tsunami, flooding me and the Battle Toad down it at rapid speeds. I fear for the worst. Had that thing really decided to kill us?! The flood takes us deep, water all around us, far more than the thing was made of, and all sparklingly clean. Finally, it seems to be over as we slam into the hard ground and the water continues on.


    I went down a water slide once, my haggard brain tells me.


    That was nothing like that.


    I glance down the tunnel, now too far away to make anything out. More water is rocketed down, slamming into both of us, but not enough to send us flying away. I gape as I realize it. That wasn¡¯t an attack, that was the back blow. The same way a punch moves air, that thing made water just by moving too hard.


    Any sounds of fighting, explosions, wailing spirits, angry alligators, or clanking chains, all die immediately.


    When water doesn¡¯t immediately surge down the tunnel and annihilate me, I breathe a sigh of relief.


    Too close. Too dangerous.


    My body collapses, broken and bruised, damaged and hurt. I slide down, my back against the wall. I look over to the toad.


    Only to see him standing. And looking at me.


    Ah. Right. Oh shit.


    It stares me down, clearly in far better shape than I am. I may have won but only by the slimmiest of margins. I took far, far more damage than it did. In a way¡­ I kinda sucker punched it really hard while it was tired, while it had beaten me to near death. Well, more like halfway there. I knew what being beaten to death felt like, after all. I still had a long ways to go for that.


    A fact that was only getting more worrying as it continued to stare at me, fists clenched.


    It approached and I resolved to at least meet death with my eyes wide open. I grinned, trying to get up, only to immediately fail. Ah, damn it. I figured that would happen. I was so tired. The Battle Toad stands above me now, glaring down at me. I simply smiled.


    It thrust a hand forward and-


    I blinked in surprise and then laughed.


    Not a fist. A hand. Reaching down.


    I took it and he pulled me up. He croaked out something, no doubt in a language I couldn¡¯t understand, and began walking down the tunnel.


    I followed, broken and bruised, but with a grin that would¡¯ve had my mother slapping it off of me.


    It was finally time to go down the tunnel and with any luck?


    Out of this damn sewer.

 Chapter 21: A Beautiful Village

    Everything hurt. I really tried to focus on my new best friend as we walked but it was too hard. He¡¯d nearly destroyed me again. My left arm felt like I had somehow broken all the muscles and my right arm had a broken bone that I could see sticking out of it.


    At least one of my ribs was cracked, the middle of my chest felt dangerously close to breaking and hurt with every breath, and with my broken nose I could barely breathe at all. My body was even more of a mess than when this all began in a few ways.


    But it was fine.


    I¡¯d won, I was alive, and hopefully my left arm could heal on its own a little. It was a small price to pay for victory. Still¡­ my body wasn¡¯t holding up well. Not at all. I needed real medical attention and soon.


    The biggest problem was just the pain. It was nearly debilitating but I¡¯d gotten used to a lot. I¡¯d get used to this. I smiled, as me and my new best friend walked down the tunnel. It was a long one, very long, and all rock. This didn¡¯t look like a typical part of the sewer. In fact, maybe it wasn¡¯t? It could have been a natural cave that got chiseled out.


    I whistled as we walked, or at least, I tried to. I¡¯d never been that good at whistling and not being able to breathe out my nose made it hard. I glanced to my left, where the Battle Toad was staring at me.


    I smiled at him.


    He huffed, well, croaked in a huff way, before rubbing his stomach and wincing.


    ¡°Yeah, I got you good there.¡±


    He looked at me quizzically and thus began the most insane thing I felt I¡¯d experienced in a long while.


    A game of charades with a toad man that had nearly killed me as we both walked drenched down a rock tunnel.


    He pointed at his stomach and winced. I laughed. He pointed at my arm and laughed mockingly. I pointed at his nose, still dripping purple blood, and stuck out my tongue. He huffed and made the motion with his fingers of walking on two legs, falling over, and then made a face with his tongue sticking out like he was dead. It was my turn to huff as I made my two fingers stand back up and slowly, it all just, evolved.


    Before long, it didn¡¯t feel like we were just going back and forth with begrudging annoyance about what we did to each other. It truly began to feel like we were really talking.


    My right arm hung mostly limp at my side, impeding our conversation, but slowly, slowly, I began to tell him about my journey so far.


    I hadn¡¯t realized, just how much I¡¯d missed this. I was so lonely. Even with the weight off me from remembering my family well, no, even more so because of it, I¡¯d grown so lonely. When was the last time I truly just talked to someone and enjoyed it? Master hardly counted. Before that¡­


    I was awful, I realized. When I was drunk and first lost my home, I was caustic at best. I didn¡¯t cause problems but I didn¡¯t have any friends. Even the other homeless people avoided me but that was no surprise, they avoided most people when not begging.


    Before that, I¡¯d worked and been¡­ if anything, even worse. I¡¯d hated everything. I¡¯d hated working as a cashier or a fast food cook or as a custodian. Each job seemed to be worse than the last and they were all terrible, only shit jobs given to weaklings and with shit pay. My attitude hadn¡¯t helped. I¡¯d hated everyone around me, my coworkers, the people I¡¯d see, my tiny apartment, the technology everyone forced onto me, all of it. So much of it. Some rare coworkers tried to get me to feel better, they¡¯d take one look at me and just know I was a refugee. A few had even been children of ones themselves. Their parents survivors of Vega¡¯s atrocities. They¡¯d tried, and they¡¯d failed.


    One of them, a woman I couldn¡¯t even remember the name of, had even forced me to go to a waterpark. I hadn¡¯t smiled once, but I went on all the rides. She stopped trying after that.


    I couldn¡¯t even remember anyone¡¯s name besides some old managers that probably deserved death or dismemberment. Omar was a real piece of work¡­


    I didn¡¯t have any friends. I hadn¡¯t had any friends. This Battle Toad was the closest thing in the past three years I¡¯d had to, to anything close. The first person in three years that I actually enjoyed being around. He¡¯d nearly killed me, twice. He¡¯d broken me, spat on me, we¡¯d only known each other through battle, and we could barely talk with pantomime. And yet he was the closest thing I had to a friend right now.


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    That was kinda sad.


    I was knocked out of my daze as I felt the Battle Toad¡¯s massive hand on my shoulder. I looked over to him and I nearly cried at what I saw. Worry. When was the last time someone worried about me? When was the last time they did and I was mentally well enough to receive it? He was staring at my wounds, a slightly guilty look on his face, probably thinking I was about to pass out from pain or something.


    I smiled back at him, forming a thumbs up with my left hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Thanks though.¡±


    We kept walking and before long, an opening made itself known. I hadn¡¯t even realized along our walk but the lights in this tunnel were abysmal. Lighting was never massive in the sewers, so I¡¯d kind of ignored it, but the bulbs along the side had clearly been placed there and lit with something else. The opening looked like a bright white light in comparison, like I was walking out of the demon realm and into a light world.


    Once we were through, I gasped.


    A village.


    A thick barrier of pure rock surrounded the front of the village, guards hunched behind it with actual spears. That caught me off guard. Weapons were used but they were usually used in war or by absolute craven bastards with no self respect. At least, that was what I¡¯d been taught both at home and in Vega city.


    I looked at the guards and frowned.


    [6]


    [6]


    [6]


    [6]


    None broke seven. That¡­ that didn¡¯t make any sense. It struck me how little anything made sense down here. There were strong creatures around, the men and women I was seeing had every reason to get stronger. If they were all stuck at [6]... a wall? A natural wall? Was that even possible? Could a whole species have a low natural wall?


    And they didn¡¯t have the luxury of a healing tank or breaking themselves fully down. There were actual dangers here. Even still¡­ something wasn¡¯t adding up. That danger and the fighting would destroy that natural wall for everyone that survived. The only other option-


    I looked back at the toad I¡¯d been calling a Battle Toad, and then back to guards looking at us nervously.


    They didn¡¯t look the same.


    They were smaller, slimmer. Weaker. Different species? Different, variants? There were too many different races around the world to know everything about all of them.


    My friend croaked at the guards and they croaked back and before long I was just enjoying the conversation I couldn¡¯t understand. A massive sigh of relief went through the guards though. I looked at my toad friend and he put both hands together and then flailed his thick fingers. Like, tentacles.


    They lived in fear that the water elemental was going to one day come down the tunnel and kill them all. My friend guarded the entrance, checking to make sure nothing was wrong. The massive amounts of noise must¡¯ve scared the village. Absolutely nothing was safe down here from that thing.


    Before long, they stood down, letting me and Battle Toad through. I¡¯d have to figure out his actual name someday.


    Once past the guards and the rock wall behind them, the village truly opened up and-


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± I said immediately.


    They lived on a lake. A pure crystal blue lake. Giant lily pads floated on top, beyond sturdy, for there were houses seemingly built of rock and moss on top of them. I could see different amphibians going about their day, but they looked on edge. They swam, huddled up, fathers ready to fight to the end, mothers protecting their children.


    It brought back memories. So many memories. Tears flowed from my eyes and when the battle toad released a massive croak, I visibly saw the villagers relax. Happy croaks were let out, children smiled, an old couple even began entwining their tongues in a freakish display that left me grossed out but happy for them.


    A village scared.


    A village told the danger had passed. That it was over. That they were okay. That they¡¯d live another day. That they were safe.


    Sorrow and happiness and sadness cut across me like a knife. Tears of joy and longing poured out of me. I felt Battle Toad¡¯s hand on my shoulder as he stared at me, a wide smile on his face for once. We understood each other in that moment. His village was safe. Something so precious that you hoped it would always be true, yet always feared its absence.


    Silently, he led me away from the grand lake and to a house nearby on the rock. It was at that moment I realized a few things.


    Battle Toad was a toad.


    And the rest of the villagers?


    They were frogs.


    Where was your brethren my friend? That look in your eyes¡­ you have lost your home and people too. There was nothing I could say in words or pantomime that could express anything of worth. I knew that all too well. Slowly, carefully, I patted him on the back. He stiffened, turned to me, and nodded.


    His home was simple, but the moment I stepped inside, my legs became jelly.


    For the first time in months¡­ I was safe.


    I was safe.


    With a wide smile on my face, and a worried look on my friend¡¯s, I passed out on the spot.

 Chapter 22: A Fresh Welcome

    I woke up unable to move. I began to panic but no matter how much I panicked, my body didn¡¯t move an inch. There was a herbal smell in the air, thick, and it poured around me in a thick haze. The light around was thin, lit only by glowing moss, as soft croaks were heard. I needed to move, I needed to, it wasn¡¯t safe. I needed to-


    Yesterday¡¯s events swam into me. Slowly, silently, I began to calm down. My breathing evened out as I took deep breaths.


    I was in a village. I was okay. I was safe.


    Yesterday had been strange, emotional. There¡¯d been too much. Too many things. The pain, the-


    The pain.


    I wasn¡¯t in pain.


    I gasped softly. There was always pain. Every part of me hurt all the time. My mouth, my face, my skin, my bones, my muscles, even my blood. Parasites, disease, sickness, torn and broken parts of my body that healed wrong, I was a walking pile of pain more than anything. I just, tried to not let it bother me.


    And now it was gone.


    Tears of relief swam down my cheeks. I had no idea how much pain I was in. Now that it was gone¡­ I couldn¡¯t have stopped myself from crying if I tried. It was gone. It was all gone. I was okay. I was better. I was¡­ I wasn¡¯t in pain anymore.


    I laid there, listening to soft croaks, before I realized it was snoring. There was a frog, probably a frog, nearby. It didn¡¯t sound like my, friend? I hoped we were friends. I had been assuming a lot yesterday.


    How strange¡­ in a way, the croaks caused an acknowledgment of something that I had no other way of knowing. Time. Snoring meant sleep. Other people sleeping meant¡­ it was probably night? Even if they didn¡¯t have the sun or moon, they probably all slept around the same time. For them, even if the sun was up, it was night.


    I had woken up, paralyzed, in the middle of the night. Somewhere with herbs. Somewhere where there was a single soft croaking frog. I¡¯d felt smarter since coming down here, like I¡¯d had too much in my own way holding myself back. I was never stupid but I¡¯d never been that fast with connections. Down here, it was needed if I wanted to survive. I at least needed to think quicker. Or was that part of my power level? Either way, it was a welcome change.


    That''s why I realized I was in a healing hut. At a doctor. When I collapsed at the Battle Toad¡¯s house, he must¡¯ve taken me here. Worried about me. Yeah. We were friends.


    I was safe, I wasn¡¯t in pain, and I was getting help.


    Smiling silently, I closed my eyes, and let myself fall back to sleep.


    *****


    I woke up again later, still without pain. Which was good, because I felt like what I¡¯d woken up to would be causing me great agony. Most of my body was numb, in various ways. I could feel things not just wrapped around me, but some things stuck inside me. Forces were moving me about and I could feel that but all I could see was the roof, with a few dangling herbs I hadn¡¯t been able to recognize in the dark. It was brighter now, the moss practically glowing radiantly. Maybe it also had a night cycle.


    I didn¡¯t know what was happening but I trusted I was being taken care of. No doctor worth anything would harm their patients and my friend wouldn¡¯t let anything harm me. Before long, an old frog¡¯s face peered down at me. I tried to smile, only belatedly realizing there was something in my mouth.


    She croaked something at me, her look one of stern disapproval. I nearly laughed, the same look Tuwa once had. I could practically hear the words despite not understanding the language.


    Boy, what have you done to yourself?


    She continued to croak, realized I couldn¡¯t understand her, and turned to bark at a figure nearby. This time, I definitely smiled even if I couldn¡¯t feel my face. It was him, the original Battle Toad. I had to figure out his name.


    Some more croaking was had between the doctor and my friend, along with at least two other types of croaks. Assistants maybe? I was surrounded by at least four different people. My friend looked down at me for a while, rubbing his chin, thinking. Eventually, he nodded and pointed at my eye, making an X with his arms, and blinked it. Then he pointed at the other and made a thumbs up, and blinked it.


    Some gestures must transcend certain cultures. He wanted me to blink left or right for yes or no.


    I blinked yes. He smiled.


    He pantomimed pain, by gripping his stomach and looking like he was going to hurl, then pointed at me.


    I blinked no. He smiled at that too.


    The next question he had to think about for a while, before pointing at his head and gesturing to the whole space around us.


    Do you know where you are?


    Yes.


    He croaked something, receiving one back, and then left for a bit. He came back with a dirty pot made of, rock? And then scrubbed it clean. He pointed at the healers, scrubbed again, and pointed at me.


    They¡¯re restoring you.


    Yes.


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    I assumed he meant healing. I hoped he meant healing. This was a bit much for a bath.


    Some more croaks were had, before they got louder, and angrier. That worried me. The doctor and my friend were fighting. Arguing. They croaked again and again, before something that absolutely sounded like an ultimatum came out of the old healer. My friend¡¯s energy practically collapsed in on itself, as his his shoulders fell. He gave me a weak smile.


    Uh-oh.


    He pointed at the moss and made the strangest gesture I¡¯d ever seen. He swiveled his hand forward and then made it expand. I didn¡¯t understand at all. He then held up his hand with all fingers splayed and pointed at it three times.


    I blinked at him with both eyes.


    He repeated all the gestures, slower, as if that would help me. I didn¡¯t get it, but he was patient, even if his face said otherwise. Finally, I realized that weird gesture somehow represented time. Days. The moss had a life cycle and the glow and lower glow were days. Then¡­


    Open hand with five fingers.


    Being pointed at three times.


    Fifteen days.


    My heart skipped a beat. He seemed to understand I got it by the widening of my eyes. He then gestured to everything and pointed at me and then repeated the fifteen days.


    I rapidly blinked no.


    He grimaced and gave a shaky thumbs up and then fled.


    Wait. No. You get back here! What have you done to me?!


    You¡¯re going to be here for fifteen days.


    No! I didn¡¯t want to, come on! The most I¡¯d ever been stuck in a healing situation was two days and I¡¯d felt like I was going mad! What was I supposed to do for fifteen days?! I couldn¡¯t even move a muscle! Was I, was I just going to have to sit here?! How was I going to use the bathroom-


    No. Please tell me I wasn¡¯t going to be taken care of like an elder that had lost their faculties. I¡¯m fine! No, no really! I¡¯m okay! Just, uh, just, just let me go nice frog people. I¡¯ll get up and be out of your scalps. I¡¯ll just go find a healing tank and be fixed in a day or two. There¡¯s no need for healing! Just point me the way out and I¡¯ll be just fine!


    Please!


    The older frog lady came back and I saw that smirk on her face. I prayed it was one where someone was pulling a prank, but I knew better. I¡¯d seen that smile before. It was the smile a doctor used when they were going to make you suffer something horrible because you didn¡¯t take care of your body right. The same smile Cranky Tuwa would have whenever she gave the most awful, bitter medicine to someone.


    She left my line of sight, but I could still vaguely feel something pushing against parts of me. Healing me.


    I stared at the ceiling, unable to do anything else.


    Curse you Battle Toad! I¡¯m gonna get you back for this!


    *****


    The next fifteen days sucked. They were¡­ not as bad as I feared though.


    Sometimes I¡¯d see the assistants or the old frog appear in my vision. The longer I saw them, the more differences I found between Battle Toad and them. They were sleeker, slimier, wetter, and had more green and purple than him. They didn¡¯t work constantly on me, but just about. When they weren¡¯t eating or sleeping, they were doing stuff to me.


    I was completely numbed and unable to move. Sometimes I¡¯d feel some feeling come back, along with a weirdly sharp pain, before more medicine was added. The medicine mainly featured herbs but there were a few liquids they poured down my throat at times.


    They didn¡¯t have a healing tanks capabilities. They had to actually feed me and give me something to drink. Water was fine but food was all liquid, with hardly any taste. It made my stomach nearly roil in on itself for the first few days, before it adapted. I¡¯d been eating worse, I could deal with an all liquid diet.


    The less said about the bathroom stuff, the better. I was in their debt.


    I had nothing but time as they went about their work so I¡­ reflected.


    I thought about my life, about my family, about everything I¡¯d done since getting here in the sewers. There were so many mistakes, so many ways I could¡¯ve died, so many things I wanted to do.


    I wanted friends, I realized on the third day. Actual friends I could talk to and journey with. For all the horrors of the sewers, it was unlike anything I¡¯d ever seen. Vega City was still that way but in many ways it was, tainted. It had my family¡¯s killer as the name, it was never going to be somewhere I enjoyed being around. But going somewhere else, laughing and talking with people, as I pursued strength to eventually kill Vega, seemed nice. I didn¡¯t want to be alone.


    Even if the journey was mine to take. I could still meet people, smile, laugh.


    Being truly alive meant striving. Striving was the exact opposite of what I¡¯d been doing. Until Master I¡¯d just been deteriorating. Master¡­ I didn¡¯t know how to feel. He¡¯d nearly doomed me to death. But I couldn¡¯t deny it was necessary. I was so different, I felt so different. I had survived and struggled and fully understood power. I had nearly been eaten by rats, killed a hundred times over, been poisoned and diseased, had to swim in literal shit, had to barely breathe around alligators that could destroy me, survived an explosion¡­ there was a lot. There was a lot that had tried or nearly succeeded in killing me.


    I needed power, not just to kill Vega, but to survive. With it, I¡¯d never have had to suffer like this. To nearly die so much. I could have done so much. I could have lived. It had finally sunk in. I needed power like I needed food or water. It wasn¡¯t a want anymore, it was a very literal need. I had seen power as a goal out of my reach for such a long time¡­ but that was wrong. It had felt like money, in a way. Everyone was desperate for it, wanted it, but it was never equal to food or water. You could, if only barely, survive without money. Trash cans, public fountains, etc. Power wasn¡¯t like that. I¡¯d treated it like that, and paid the price.


    I should¡¯ve treated power like I was starving. I¡¯d have fought fights, trained harder, begged people to train me, done anything for a bit more of it and to break through that first wall. I could have eventually broken that wall on my own, but I hadn¡¯t and wasn¡¯t ever going to. I had never been desperate enough. I understood master¡¯s words about pride and pressure more and more as the days went by. I¡¯d been too lacking in pride to struggle right and not desperate enough in the right ways to try.


    Besides my desperate desires to be moving and training again and my thoughts on power, I thought of family. Remembering the good times, the bad times, the funny times. It was¡­ peaceful.


    No pain, nothing, just laying down and thinking. Any time I grew bored, I simply went to sleep or focused more reflecting on something else. It mostly helped. It wasn¡¯t a paradise but¡­ it was a break. One I dearly needed. It felt like all my problems were melting away to come another day.


    As the fifteen days became twenty and then twenty five, I didn¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t fight the doctors or the medicine being pumped into me. I waited and prepared. I felt calm. At peace.


    When the medicine finally wore off and I stood, I smiled.


    It was time to go punch someone.

 Chapter 23: Peace and Relaxation

    I took in my body as I stood. What struck me first was how awful I felt. My body hadn¡¯t moved in twenty five days and it showed. I¡¯d entered a kind of, meditation almost after a while. Now that I could actually feel my body again, it felt almost, wrong. Like I¡¯d been a soul shoved into a weird new fleshy form.


    I was skin and bones. Most of my major injuries were taken care of but something must have been far worse than I thought as I saw what could only be bandages around most of my body. The healer came up to me, croaking at me, but it¡¯s not like I understood. I continued to examine my body as she talked, mostly to herself.


    The places of my body that had started to go green had fully turned green, but that was because there was now moss packed in. Slowly, carefully, the healer scraped those away and began to remove the bandages. When she was done, I saw a shocking amount of moss on me. It felt like more than a bit of it was growing inside me.


    She continued to peel and remove it as I stood, going around my body and doing the same. By the end of it, I looked scarred but whole. Most of my flesh had even returned. The scars were dark white though, causing an odd look on my brown golden skin. As the doctor continued to unravel everything, I realized with some extreme annoyance why I had been here for so long.


    I was healed. Well, as much as they could, but that wasn¡¯t the point. They had fixed my arms, both of them. I could move them and even felt some strength in them. No matter the healing, there would have been a point where I was on the road to recovery and just needed time. They had kept me paralyzed during that recovery time, instead of letting me just, sleep in a bed or something.


    A doctor in Vega City would have bandaged me and healed me up, if they didn¡¯t have a healing tank or I couldn¡¯t afford one, and then told me to take it easy for a few weeks or months, depending on the healing. I¡¯d have been in a cast but been alright to move about. The frog people paralyzed you till they were fully done. Even if that meant just waiting for you to be done healing naturally.


    I tried very hard not to grimace that I probably could¡¯ve been up and moving sooner. It was over now. Even if I¡¯d been bored out of my mind for so long that I never, ever, wanted to come back to this building.


    Finally, as she finished, I stretched and felt¡­ good. Some pain returned and it felt like a shock of harsh ice to my previously numbed body. I took a single step-


    And fell over.


    One of the assistants caught me. I hadn¡¯t even noticed them. She laughed at me.


    ¡°Yeah yeah, I¡¯m going to need a while to relearn how to walk.¡±


    Contrary to the belief that I was finally free now, the doctor then spent hours with me, forcing me to bend or walk certain ways. My poor body could barely do some of them. I was better but not fully healed. There must¡¯ve been limits to what they could do. I needed to find a healing tank for the worst of it.


    She wasn¡¯t happy. Not at all. But finally, she allowed me to leave.


    The second I walked out the door, I gaped again at the sight. Previously, I¡¯d been on the shore, looking out. Now, I was on the crystal clear lake, on a lilypad, looking out everywhere. It was amazing. A whole floating village in somewhere so beautiful. I could see children laughing and swimming about, families moving around catching fish, all the while the glow of the moss made it seem like it was day. That hadn¡¯t been the case last time. It was bright but not like this. I must¡¯ve shown up at night.


    An assistant tapped me on the shoulder, handing me something.


    I blinked.


    It was underwear. I looked back up at the assistant. There was no real expression on her face, just, neutral. All the rest of the frogs and even my good buddy Battle Toad hadn¡¯t worn anything, and didn¡¯t show anything-


    Ah. This wasn¡¯t for modesty was it? This was literally for protection. They¡¯d noticed I had something that dangles and made something to help protect that.


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    She smiled and croaked back at me.


    Slipping on the pair of underwear, seemingly made purely from bandages (where did they get the cloth?), I finally felt a little closer to human. I was safe, healed, had clothing, and most importantly¡­ clean.


    God I felt so clean that it brought a tear to my eye. I¡¯d never take showers for granted again.


    I felt so much better that it was beyond understanding. I almost felt like I was on drugs and not just pain relief ones. Not all the infections or diseases were gone, parts of me were still sore or injured or even broken, and I was skin and bones from a liquid diet, but I was so much better.


    There was one thing I wanted to check though.


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    I glanced up, curiosity getting the better of me, and-


    [7]


    I grinned.


    It seems some rest and healing did me well.


    With a laugh, I jumped into the water. I felt it all around me, embracing me. I¡¯d grown up on an island and even weak as I was, I knew how to swim. I hadn¡¯t swam since¡­ I hadn¡¯t swam for a long long time. It felt good. My heart soared and I truly began to swim.


    The last time I swam I was at power level [1]. Now? I was over seven times stronger. I zoomed through the water like I was born to it. In many ways, I was. The sea was just as much a part of my home as my island had been and I¡¯d missed it for too long. This lake was amazing. I swam through the water, feeling my body and soul seem to lighten up even further. I passed by the other frog people, looking at me with hints of weariness but also curiosity. I was unknown, new, dangerous. But also not a threat. I couldn¡¯t take a whole village on. They might not have Vambrace¡¯s but I¡¯m sure they¡¯d heard all about me from Battle Toad.


    Speaking of the man and myth himself, I noticed him swimming towards me with a smile. I swam towards him, getting closer and closer. His smile was practically splitting his face. He was so happy to see me.


    I decked him in the head.


    His head snapped back as a shocked expression came over his face. He rubbed where I¡¯d hit him, feeling the blow.


    I held up my hand and pointed at it five times, with emphasis on the last two. And then crossed my arms. He hadn¡¯t even seen me in the last ten days. He had the good grace to look guilty as he rubbed his head.


    We swam to the surface and I breathed in a fresh thing of air. This was great! I was safe, clean, healthy, could swim, this, this was yet another paradise. Who knew it was so close to such a hellish place? It felt so good to move my body after being stuck for so long. I¡¯d thought I¡¯d go insane just laying there. Clearly, frogs dealt with injuries completely different than I did. I didn¡¯t intend to take any more damage for a while.


    I swam to the shore with my friend and was finally going to ask the most important question in the world.


    The second our feet landed, I pointed at myself.


    ¡°Mutai.¡±


    The Battle Toad blinked at me, before raising an eyebrow and letting out a croak. I pointed at myself again.


    ¡°Mutai. I am Mutai. Mutai.¡±


    He seemed to get it, before croaking at me. It sounded absolutely nothing like Mutai. But as he repeated it, I realized he was at least doing the same croak over and over again. Then he pointed at himself and made a different sound.


    I blinked at him. I couldn¡¯t croak and he couldn¡¯t speak Common.


    ¡°Well¡­ I have to call you something besides Battle Toad or my friend. Uh¡­¡± He continued to croak at himself and I said the first name that popped into my mind.


    ¡°How about I call you Ragual?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow and I repeated the word a few times, before nodding. Then, he pointed at me, and made the same croaks from before. I didn¡¯t even try to copy it, it sounded loud and deep though. I¡¯d definitely remember it.


    I gave a thumbs up in reply.


    ¡°Well alright, Ragual. Your village is amazing and lovely and just, so great. I love it here.¡±


    As I spoke I gestured to his whole village and gave two thumbs up. He got the point.


    He croaked, looking at me, gesturing to all of me, and then-


    Made a gesture of shrinkage.


    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s not my fault I haven¡¯t eaten anything good for¡­ god I need food.¡±


    The last good thing I ate was a hotdog with everything on it and that had been months ago. I could still taste it now. Cooked, not raw, not bloody, not disgusting, not putrid, not a dead rat. My stomach chose that moment to let out a loud grumble.


    Ragual laughed at my plight and then waved me forward as he walked towards his house.


    I had absolutely no idea what toads or frog people ate but if it wasn¡¯t a rat, I was going to eat all of it.


    *****


    I devoured the food. Destroyed it, and asked for seconds. And thirds.


    It was vegetables. They ate some kind of watery vegetables. They were thin, stringy, and for the life of me, I swore they tasted exactly like waterlogged bananas. They were even sweet! Ragual never stopped giving me more. Hell, when I stopped, he seemed worried I wasn¡¯t going to continue. After all, he ate far more than me.


    By the time I was done, my stomach felt like exploding. But I was happy.


    Ragual showed me around his house. I had no idea how they built things here but it was a real house alright. Someone had moved or carved it from rock and I honestly couldn¡¯t say which. It had a table, chairs, even equipment for training. Not a lot of decorations though. It was the mostly modern kitchen that surprised me. Why did they even need pots and pans?


    Finally though, the day began to wind down. Me and Ragual talked more and more and I felt like we were developing a language all our own. We even began telling jokes through words. I wanted to cry. It¡¯d been so long since I¡¯d had a friend and I think it was the same for Ragual. I didn¡¯t get the feeling he was ostracized but, he was different. Stronger. He had more responsibilities and duties. Far as I could tell, he was the guard captain, and had many stories to share about what had come down that tunnel. Mostly rats, though he swore up and down that he once fought a ¡®baby chain wraith¡¯. I didn¡¯t believe it. Those things were truly horrifying. The glimmer in his eye told me he was fucking with me.


    When I began to get tired and the moss¡¯s glow began to grow lighter, Ragual took me to a small room. He opened it and there, in all of its wonderful, amazing glory, was a bed. Just a bed. A normal bed. Sure, instead of a wood frame, it was rock and the mattress, pillow, and blanket seemed made up of the same cloth they used for bandages but for all intents and purposes, it was just a normal bed.


    I stumbled towards it and laid down.


    Before my head even touched the pillow, I was out like a light.

 Chapter 24: Proper Sparring

    I didn¡¯t think I could feel any better than that first day here and every second of every day going forward proved me wrong.


    For the first week, it was like I¡¯d been transported back in time. Whatever vegetables (and horrible herbs forced upon me by the doctor) that I ate, had to be packed with protein. It was noticeable in just a few days that I was filling back out. It made me concerned, really. If I didn¡¯t start moving I might actually grow fat!


    That wasn¡¯t a problem. After being bedridden for nearly a month I was more than happy to spend my time moving. Swimming felt like the call of the ocean in my heart, a return to the past, and the frog people here only added to that. My heart felt free and my natural joy seemed to infect them. Some of them came up to me, the bravest ones, and they tried to talk to me. Underwater. It wasn¡¯t long before me and Ragual¡¯s half slapped together pantomime language spread. The children who ¡®talked¡¯ to me especially loved the eyes rolled back and tongue sticking out for the word ¡®dead¡¯.


    They swam with me, talked to me, and accepted me once they got to know me. I was never more thankful for being underwater, because it hid my tears. It all pulled on my heartstrings too much. Sorrow at what was gone and joy at what I now had, it was a heavy and hefty mix. For that first week, I did little else but play, swim, eat, sleep, and talk. I was a guest in the village, their first one, and they were more than happy to have me.


    It was when I was thinking of helping with jobs here that I knew my time was over.


    Master had been right, as he so sadly is. I could have lived here. I could have. If I¡¯d been taken here shortly after the destruction of my village, if I¡¯d somehow fallen down here within the third year after it, I maybe could have accepted it. Opened my heart back up and decided to live here for good. Developed a very rich language that would have been identical to talking, except with your hands. I could see it clear as day. That future for Mutai. The one where I join this village and live with Ragual as the ones who¡¯ve lost everything but found peace in something new.


    I let the pebbles slip through my fingers as I sat and watched.


    But that wasn¡¯t me. Not anymore. I had pride. I had strength. And I wanted to use it to see Vega beaten bloody and broken in front of me. See him crawl away, pleading for his life, as I destroyed and killed him. To tear his face apart, to rip and tear and punch and break and-


    I took a deep breath, calming myself. It would all happen in good time.


    I also had a desperate need for strength. It clawed at me, rending me in a way I wasn¡¯t familiar with. I hadn¡¯t gotten stronger in a month. A month. Over a month. The healing didn¡¯t really count in my mind at all. I needed to fight, I needed to. Not just a want. It felt like I was going to go insane if I didn¡¯t. I was already feeling the urge to rush back into the sewer and pick a fight with a sewer rat. It was that bad. The entrance to the village had begun to plague me. Even my dreams had begun to turn to it.


    What if a chain wraith walked through that entrance? A small alligator? Or worse and possibly even realistically, that water elemental? Everyone would be slaughtered immediately, unable to flee, unable to do anything. There wasn¡¯t even one entrance, what if things came from one of the other tunnels? I was weak, weak, and if I didn¡¯t get stronger I would die.


    Not to mention I wanted to fight. It was so, so much fun. To push yourself, to break past your limits, to see that endless stretch of strength and grab towards it. Always new moves, new ways to fight, new things to try. It felt unlike anything else I¡¯d ever experienced. It resonated with me. Like the first time I¡¯d gone swimming.


    With a start, I realized I loved it. It shouldn¡¯t have been as surprising as it was. Ever since that day, I¡¯d been hungry for strength like a starving dog. Now, I was even more desperate and I could use the small amount I did have. It was like a taste of another world, so completely separated from me for so long. Every moment was like embracing something blocked off from me. Growing in a way I never could before. It felt right. It felt hefty. It felt amazing. Like freedom after being chained for so long.


    Which meant there was one last thing to do.


    ¡°Ragual.¡±


    ¡°Mutai.¡± Ragual replied. Well, my name in croak form. He had sat beside me on the shore at some point, watching the people go about their days and lives. I¡¯d been so focused on my own thoughts, I hadn¡¯t even noticed him at first.


    I stood, as did he, and punched a jab towards his face. It didn¡¯t connect, it was just a message. He understood with a wide smile. No more words were needed.


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    A fist came soaring for my head but I ducked, getting a jab into his side. He tried to turn the extended arm into a falling elbow drop but I was already skating to his side, my left arm swinging into his face in a haymaker he couldn¡¯t move out of the way from. He went stumbling back but I kept on him, throwing multiple punches into his face.


    He seemed stunned but I didn¡¯t let up. Punch after punch flowed into him, aimed for his head, before he eventually backed away in a dash. I let him. This wasn¡¯t a fight to the death. I¡¯d like to treat it like one but I¡¯d also not like to spend another month in the hospital.


    He stumbled and stared at me in shock. I understood but he should¡¯ve realized this. A look down at my Vambrace said everything I needed to know. And for once¡­ I used its ability on someone else. First on myself.


    [7.13]


    And then on Ragual.


    [8.82]


    He was strong. The weight training he did wasn¡¯t for nothing and he hadn¡¯t even hit a real wall yet, not really. But he was stuck as a guard and even our previous fight could only raise his power level so much. He¡¯d fought me at the weakest I¡¯d hopefully ever be. Diseased, already broken, bruised, burnt, and more. And I¡¯d won that. That was only the beginning of my advantages against him. I knew how he fought now, knew the feeling, knew the speed and power and the way he flowed.


    As he came at me, I realized just how little power level mattered without the knowledge to use it. His moves felt telegraphed, repeats, he wasn¡¯t trying anything new or that I hadn¡¯t seen.


    I punished him for it, harshly.


    As he came I spun, my foot whipping around me and slamming into his gut. His eyes began to bulge as he grasped his stomach involuntarily and I hit him with a rising uppercut. Fighting felt so¡­ natural. I didn¡¯t really have words for it. I¡¯d thought about hundreds of different ways to fight Ragual since we last sparred. Was that not normal? It didn¡¯t feel normal. But I couldn¡¯t help it and now it was more like I was following a set path than anything else.


    I was going to win-


    Ragual spat in my face. It was only a blind panicked dodge that prevented me from having my nose broken again. Punches came and now they landed, disrupting my thoughts. It was like an avalanche was hitting me and my freshly healed body was getting beaten black and blue. He focused on my face, my nose barely surviving the punishment.


    I ducked and dodged and weaved, frantically trying to get the spit out of my face. When I felt the air from a leg come for me, it was only my own rising up that stopped it. I still nearly fell over, the strength immense. Finally opening up my eyes, I nearly panicked as Ragual dove for me, tackling me to the ground. Right next to him, it was impossible to move out of the way.


    We landed, grappling, struggling, punching and jabbing into each other¡¯s kidneys. He leaned back for a headbutt and I decided to meet him blow for blow! My own head pulled back and-


    I felt stars in my vision as a fierce pain exploded inside my head. We continued to jab, both wearing out, before I finally got the upper hand with my legs and managed to push him off me. We got up dirty, tired, and barely beginning.


    I rushed him, going for something I¡¯d seen out of a movie once. A drop kick. As he slightly turned his body to the side and brought down an elbow, I realized belatedly that I was stupid. Nothing in movies were ever real.


    The elbow drop nearly cracked my sternum and slammed me into the ground. I heard a strangely croak like chorus of ¡®Ooo¡¯ but my mind was busy dealing with the awfulness of having my back broken on stone.


    A minute or two spent writhing and realizing Ragual hadn¡¯t broken my back and I got up bruised and defeated. He¡¯d won for sure on that one and judging by the smile on his lips he knew it. It was only now I realized that most of the village was surrounding us, either in the water or out, having watched our fight. They almost seemed worried but not too much. Perhaps they had been beforehand but this was just a spar.


    I smiled at Ragual who looked smug as hell.


    ¡°Hey, you won big guy.¡± I said, giving him a thumbs up.


    He gave one back. I had to tone down my arrogance. I¡¯d never been trained to fight, I had no idea how to. As natural as it felt, it didn¡¯t matter at all. I had even less of an idea of how to leverage my actual power than Ragual or almost anyone else did. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d been fighting for far longer than I had been. I needed¡­ training. And there was only one place I was going to get it for free and easily.


    ¡°Ragual.¡± I said, my voice serious. His smile slipped away, staring at me intently.


    ¡°I need to go.¡± I pointed at me, and then upwards. He got the message, a grimace coming across his face.


    He pointed at me and then gestured to the village.


    ¡°You can stay here.¡± I was touched. I had assumed but¡­ to actually be offered it was, it was amazing. Great even. But I had places to go. Things I must, things I had to do.


    I shook my head. Pointing at me, pointing upwards, and then throwing a fist up.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. I have to go upwards. I have someone I have to fight.¡±


    Ragual kept grimacing, staring me down, before nodding seriously. He pointed at me and then himself, then walked two of his fingers, and pointed upwards.


    ¡°I will guide you up there.¡±


    I gave him a smile and thumbs up.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said with all the gratitude I could.


    It was time to escape these damn underground sewers and punch master in the face.

 Chapter 25: A New Horrific Area of the Sewers

    We didn¡¯t leave back through the same tunnel we originally entered. Ragual took me across the lake, over a bunch of massive unused lilypads, to a whole different area. What struck me wasn¡¯t that it was guarded, although it was. I¡¯d talked to a few guards when they were off duty or heading this way, so that was no surprise. I knew they guarded various entrances to their village.


    What was a surprise, was that it was completely and totally blocked off. There was a massive light shining down on the entrance. Actually, a ton of lights now that I thought about it. Everything around this area was covered in glowing moss and actual iron lanterns filled with something to cause an even brighter glow. It all shined down upon a rock, blocking a tunnel.


    None of that boded well. They kept an entrance with a triple digit power level creature open but blocked this one? That was scary. My rise out of these sewers already seemed like they were going to be difficult.


    Ragual grabbed a stick nearby, stuck it into one of the lanterns, and took it back out. Whatever was in them very clearly wasn¡¯t fire, but that didn¡¯t stop Ragual¡¯s torch from going up in flames in moments. I looked at the end, recognizing the same cloth that my bandages, bedding, and underwear were made out of. I glanced down and then back at Ragual who only huffed and rolled his eyes in amusement.


    I made a note to stay away from his torch. I didn¡¯t want those parts of me becoming extra crispy any time soon.


    Ragual handed me the torch for a moment, amused at my small despairing look at him, while he went up to the boulder blocking the path.


    And then he began to push.


    Slowly, painfully slowly, the rock began to move. I could see the sweat dripping down from my friend''s body, exertion clear across his form. The giant boulder at least seemed to be greased to an extent but it was still incredibly heavy. Finally, there was a suction of air and the boulder practically popped out of the tunnel.


    I walked forward, following after him, lighting the way. He was busy moving the boulder, getting ready to push it back in. I looked around this new opening, grimacing.


    It was dark. The second we were out, I could already see Ragual¡¯s eyes practically swerving in panic, looking at all the darkness. The only light was from the opening and the torch I currently held in my hand. As fast as Ragual could, he reblocked the exit and I grimaced at the fact that he¡¯d have to come back and do this alone.


    Previously, I¡¯d felt like I was in a sewer made by a madman and then a natural cavern chiseled out of the side of it. Now I simply felt like I was in an underground crevice. The stone brick was back from what little light I could see but it was pitch black. I couldn¡¯t even hear any running water or tell if we were in a tunnel or not.


    Ragual took a breath and then almost frantically took back the torch, spinning around, and my mindset changed in a moment.


    I¡¯d been too safe for too long. The sewers were dangerous. Ragual was worried, fearing the dark. And I was standing around as if it was my first day in here. I stopped, froze, and let my instincts born from months of survival here roll over me. My ears perked up and my hand practically flew to my vambrace, turning on the light function, and then examining every crack and crevice.


    A hint of movement out the corner of my eye had my heart skipping a beat.


    Danger.


    I snapped, pointing, Ragual looking over. Instincts flared and I turned around, just as he turned, pointing behind him with my vambrace held forward.


    It ran.


    It had been aiming for Ragual in that singular moment while he was turned and when it noticed me, it ran.


    I stared, mouth agape, while Ragual kept my back safe. Just before it had run off, I¡¯d gotten a good look at it through the shadows. And it had seemed to look like¡­ well¡­ it stood on two legs and was green but¡­


    Was that a turtle?


    *****


    For the first time in a long time, I cursed my power to see power levels. Not because it constantly reminded me of how weak I was, like in the older days. But because it only worked if I could actually see above someone¡¯s head. Hats weren¡¯t an issue, but if someone stood at a doorway and the top part blocked it, I wouldn¡¯t be able to see it. Even for me, I couldn¡¯t simply lay on my back and see it, I had to tilt my head up.


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    And now I was learning that darkness worked the exact same for it. Three times. We¡¯d nearly been ambushed three times but whatever these creatures were that hunted us were fast. The moment the light so much as began glancing at them, they were moving away, back into the dark. It was to the point I was genuinely horrified if Ragual would be able to make it back after he led me out of here.


    And each of those three times, although I¡¯d gotten a glance at the creatures, I wasn¡¯t able to see their power level. It was too dark. I¡¯d at least always roughly known the power level of others and not having that luxury was¡­ unpleasant to say the least. It felt like I was blind in more ways than one and the darkness was already bad enough. It was only a matter of time before we fought and if we continued like this-


    Ragual¡¯s torch flickered out and I tackled him.


    Something came flying through the dark, hitting the stone with a horrifying tink.


    Weapons. My mind sped up. Projectiles. Bad, that was bad. Ragual wasn¡¯t a slouch, in fact, he seemed to have experience with this sort of thing before as he grabbed my arm with the vambrace and pointed it not at where the projectiles had come from, but upwards.


    I finally fully saw our attackers.


    Green, humanoid, turtles. Their face was a bit monstrous but no more than Ragual¡¯s own really. Intelligence sparked in those eyes but unlike Ragual¡¯s I saw nothing but malevolence there. The one above was descending, a smile on their green bald head, daggers held in both hands.


    Two legs shot out, one toad and one human, slamming into the being''s stomach and launching it back. Ragual tackled it immediately while I dived, barely missing being hit by more things being thrown in the dark. Quickly shining my Vambrace in that direction revealed another turtle, throwing stuff with surprising skill. I tried to dodge out of the way this time but light went both ways. I couldn¡¯t dodge all of them and felt three slam into my arm and one into my stomach, hurting like a bitch. Pain wasn¡¯t new but I hadn¡¯t missed it either.


    My thoughts spun fast, not knowing what to do. Those projectiles seemed more annoying than dangerous, distracting, made to have me go after it. If I did that I¡¯d be leaving Ragual alone in the dark, he¡¯d be screwed fast. For once my brain didn¡¯t know what to do and it almost caught me.


    We¡¯d almost been ambushed three times.


    A fucking sword nearly took my head off. The only reason I survived was I saw the grin on the turtle creature in front of me and the slight movement of its eyes rise. I dodged, more out of a sudden panic of fear, and saw a bone sword carved to a sharp edge flow past my widening eyes. The- the turtle hadn¡¯t even made a noise! It was like it had just suddenly appeared to my left!


    I kicked at its legs, nearly losing my foot in the process. I risked a glance back at Ragual, only to see him fighting off another turtle, this one wielding what looked like a thin bone club in its hands. The one that had been throwing what I belatedly realized were pieces of sharp bone came running in, wielding two chunks of bone, connected to another chunk of bones, via chain. Nunchucks. The turtle had nunchucks.


    My mind blanked as I realized I was fighting monsters with weapons and two of them at once. With Ki, with more power, their weapons would be useless.


    They weren¡¯t useless right now though. For the first time since I¡¯d gained power, I felt not just weak, but strangely defenseless.


    I backpedaled fast, keeping the light on the turtles approaching, and finally got a good look at their power levels. It wasn¡¯t anything good for me.


    [10]


    [10]


    I kept the turtles in my sight as they approached, before taking a risk and spinning around, slamming my foot into the turtle with the daggers and giving Ragual some breathing room to fight. By the time I turned around-


    A sword was inches from my eye. A panicked duck cut a line across my hair, only for two rising slabs of bone to come for my face. I didn¡¯t think, there wasn¡¯t time. I pushed forward with my body, wanting to simply not be slammed in the face, and ended up flipping over, my foot slamming into the turtle with a sword.


    He backed away for a moment, stunned.


    Then it was a blur as I rapidly dodged two angry turtles. The sword cut lines across my flesh whenever I failed to move fast enough and the nunchucks felt like they¡¯d break bone whenever they hit me. I wasn¡¯t able to get a hit in, my entire mind focused on simply trying to stay alive. Their teamwork was incredible and the cold realization that without Ragual I¡¯d have had to fight all four of them left me in a cold sweat as I rapidly tried and failed to fight back.


    A cry came from behind me and then in almost the blink of an eye, the turtles jumped back, vanishing into the dark. I turned fast, only to see Ragual with bleeding puncture marks across his arm and blood that clearly wasn¡¯t his on his fist.


    My breathing felt panicked as I rapidly swung my Vambrace¡¯s light around. None of their weapons, besides the small four pointed bone spurs, were left behind. They¡¯d attacked, barely been hurt, and then fled the moment one of them seemed in trouble.


    This was bad. Very bad. They were stronger, faster, more skilled, armed with weapons they knew how to use, and had incredible teamwork. Not to mention they ambushed in the dark. Ragual quickly picked up his torch and to my shock, pulled something off that relighted the flame on it.


    I¡¯d thought the light had gone out, but on a closer look, something had been thrown so fast over it that I¡¯d missed it. It¡¯d completely covered it and looked like a rat pelt of all things.


    Ah, right of course. To make matters even worse, our enemies were intelligent and tactical enough to try to get rid of our light so they could kill us from the dark. Only one thing I knew of through stories fought like that.


    We were dealing with Ninjas.

 Chapter 26: Biases destroyed. Time to get serious.

    The wounds on both me and Ragual were minor but a bad sign. Never in my entire life had I even considered wearing armor. It was weak. Nothing equaled a pure body¡¯s durability over time.


    They were thoughts of an idiot.


    It was a damn hard pill to swallow but¡­ armor and weapons weren¡¯t totally useless. Sure, they may lose effectiveness at higher power levels but I wasn¡¯t at those higher power levels. Right now, a sword could end me just as easily as anything else. And it¡¯d be a long time before that changed, if it ever changed at all. The sewer had humbled my growing arrogance and seemed intent to constantly do it. At this rate I felt like I¡¯d turn the corner and find out that writing and sitting in the dark was how I was supposed to beat Vega all along and that fighting was useless.


    I shook off the stupid thoughts. It pained me but¡­ we needed tools.


    Bringing it up with Ragual did not go well. We nearly got into a fight despite the danger we were both in. I didn¡¯t care. He wasn¡¯t stupid and a bone star to the eyes would blind me and then I¡¯d die and then he¡¯d die. Thus I did something that made me feel disgusting but so what? I¡¯d eaten dead rats. I could get over it.


    We returned to the village and put on armor.


    We nearly got stabbed by the frog villagers on our return and they stared at our small wounds with fear and horror. These¡­ ninja turtles had clearly plagued them for a long time. No wonder, they were all power level [10], hit far above that weight class, and had absolutely no problem using weapons in addition. They might seriously have been able to fight a weaker chain wraith.


    Putting on armor, made from rock (Seriously, which frog person was making all these rock creations?) felt like a betrayal of everything I was. But that was stupid, all that I currently was, was barely a year old. I¡¯d been power level [1] for twenty one years, I could crush my pride long enough to escape the sewers. No, maybe¡­ maybe this was a stronger lesson. I was weak. If I¡¯d embraced money and technology earlier, I could have gotten my own healing tank. Well, maybe. If I¡¯d had more aggression, more tenacity and determination, I could have broken my own wall. I didn¡¯t need master to, as he once said, ¡®wipe my ass¡¯, he was teaching me how to do things on my own.


    I¡¯d learned so much being down here. I was a completely different person than when I¡¯d left.


    This was yet another lesson. Till my body was stronger than armor¡­ I needed to wear it. It wasn¡¯t a sign of cowardice, it was a sign of weakness. I could deal with being weak. It simply meant I had to break past my limits and keep growing stronger! So that I¡¯d never have to do something like this again.


    Despite being made of rock, the armor had the slightest amount of flex. A chest piece, strapped together leggings, armbraces, and a helmet is what I wore. It¡¯s what the other guards wore when protecting the village entrances.


    I suddenly felt guilty. Here were these brave men and women, people who would get slaughtered if so much as one turtle appeared, and they were wearing armor and wielding weapons. They weren¡¯t cowards in any way. After having fought what I¡¯d seen, after having nearly been killed by the back blow of the water elemental, and seen the chain wraiths, how could I possibly have seen these frogs and thought them cowardly?


    Once again, my biases were getting in my way.


    I found Ragual, looking much the same as I was in our rock armor, and the same look reflected in his eyes. It was that feeling Master had mentioned. Dissatisfaction. No, that word was too weak. A hatred of our own weakness. If we were stronger¡­ we¡¯d have never had to do this. But we weren¡¯t.


    It was like an extra, new kind of layer was wrapping around my desperate need for power. Vengeance, survival, and now¡­ self-disgust. I didn¡¯t want to be the sort of weak person that needed to rely on outside tools and technology to survive the world. That was no different from those poor people I¡¯d heard about with such a horrible disease that they could never leave specialized environments. It was¡­restricting.


    I was currently so weak I¡¯d have taken a gun. And that said everything that needed to be said.


    Armored but not armed, we left again, far more weary. We pushed the boulder slower, worried about an immediate ambush, and pushed it back with just as much worry. There was no point in bringing weapons, we simply weren¡¯t trained enough with them. I wasn¡¯t blind or stupid enough to think it took no effort or skill to use a tool, and I at least had months of fighting experience with my fists now.


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    The second the boulder was back we started heading back. I¡¯d already talked to Ragual about the real problem I¡¯d noticed earlier. Ragual was stronger than me, but not by an impossible to close margin. I¡¯d more than proven that. I got the sense he might even consider us equals which was taking things a bit far. He was far stronger.


    But if I left¡­ there was no way he was going to make it back to his village safe, sound, and alive. The four turtles would murder him.


    There was only one solution.


    We had to kill these damn ninja turtles.


    *****


    Walking through the dark with a single torch and a flashlight from my Vambrace was terrible. It had been worrying before I¡¯d nearly gotten my head chopped off and now it was even worse. They were watching us, I could feel it, know it. Sense it. Ragual was constantly moving the torch and we were constantly pivoting to make sure nothing was getting behind us. The turtles had shown they could be utterly silent so even hearing alone wasn¡¯t enough. It created a strange, tense atmosphere as the two light sources between us constantly swayed and moved along the darkness.


    As we walked I caught sight of broken glass where lights used to be. They were all broken and shattered. Similar to what I once did a few times to hide from rats but done on an impossibly large scale. Could these turtles see in the dark? Or did they simply rely on other forms of detection like hearing? Either way, it was an uncomfortable reminder. We were in their territory, their home, and they¡¯d prepared it well for anyone or anything to enter.


    A fact that only got more blaringly obvious as we started to pass bones and full skeletons. Ragual stopped by one, crouching down to get a better look at it. It was a rat corpse but the weirdest part was¡­ I¡¯d never seen one before. Things hunted and died down here in the sewers all the time but they swallowed whole. These turtles, at least I assumed it was them, didn¡¯t seem to like eating bones. It wasn¡¯t exactly a full put together skeleton or anything and there were more than a few pieces missing, but the rat skull and rib bones were obvious.


    When we passed a human skeleton, I felt like I was going to be sick. There was still meat, rotten as it was, attached.


    We were higher now. The elevation was rising. We were getting closer to at least some kind of exit from these endless sewers. That made the dead human all the more demoralizing. I¡¯d heard of there being things in the dark of the sewers, horrible monsters and creatures, things that could need the police to stop, and every single one of those rumors had been proven more than true. It was horrific down here and the turtles were just another group in a long line of horror.


    We didn¡¯t just pass bone either though. There were also strange blue crystal growths on the walls. They almost looked to be¡­ moving. It was just another indicator that despite this being turtle territory, they weren¡¯t the only creatures around here. The sewers were dangerous and the faster I left, the better. Ragual had staunchly refused to try and relocate the village and I had barely given a token effort. The whole world was dangerous and Vega City was most definitely not less dangerous, just less active about it. A whole village rising out of the sewers that couldn¡¯t speak Common and had no money? They¡¯d all be chewed up and spit out within a week.


    Movement in the dark broke me out of my reverie. I ignored it and immediately spun around, looking for the ambush.


    It came from the side.


    A bone pole came sharply, slamming into my chest. The armor along my chest took the brunt of it as I stumbled back with a groan. Instincts flared and I moved in a way that surprised even me, an elbow flying backwards as I sidestepped a pair of daggers. My thrown elbow was dodged but the turtles didn¡¯t stop this time, coming in close. The daggers pushed up while the pole came down and despite my best attempts to dodge, I was still hit with both. The daggers failed to penetrate and my helmet prevented my head from caving in but I still felt like I was seeing stars.


    I was power level [7], they were power level [10]. It was the equivalent of a decently fit person fighting someone that could break bricks with their bare hands, even if only barely. They were also over 40% higher in power level than me. I had no chance at all.


    But tools closed the distance.


    ¡°Ragual, now!¡± I yelled, quickly glancing over.


    Somehow, he was already bleeding from the shoulder, and his right armbrace was shattered, but the plan was still active. We¡¯d done more than just grab armor. We¡¯d come up with a way to beat these things.


    Ragual touched the torch to his armor, before throwing it at me. It hit me, the fire striking my chest piece.


    And lighting up the cloth wrapped around it.


    It hurt my eyes and my body was already feeling the heat through my chest but it was nothing compared to how the turtles raised their hands to block out the light. My fist flew, slamming into the dagger wielding one''s face. Before the one with the pole could react, I grabbed it, slamming my armored head into it. It tried to struggle away but I didn¡¯t let up, repeatedly knocking our heads together, knowing it was taking more damage from the hits than I was as I felt my teeth rattle.


    The bright light shining from behind me as Ragual took on the other two only spurned me on to try and end this quicker.


    It was time to destroy these turtles!

 Chapter 27: A fight to the death? No! A fight to stay alive!

    Power level isn¡¯t linear. It grows in different ways over time. At [50], you¡¯ll resist small bullets. Past [10] and common materials start to be weaker than your strength. Not steel, but wood and eventually rock. The difference between me and these turtles were staggeringly high.


    So when it calmly grabbed my hands, pried them off, and punched me hard enough to crack my armor, I wasn¡¯t surprised or shocked. Just in a whole lot of pain as it felt like that one punch nearly stopped my heart.


    The turtles were ambushers but that didn¡¯t mean they couldn¡¯t fight. Just that they were super, hyper dangerous. Four opponents so much stronger than us was a big ask. The only saving grace was that the 10% rule master had mentioned had clearly not gone into effect yet at our power levels, otherwise we¡¯d already be dead.


    The two turtles rushed me, angry now. Blood poured down from the head of the one wielding the pole as the other seemed to practically flicker around it, aiming to stab at me. The pole slammed into my arms as I raised them to try to protect myself. I felt a hot feeling of pain as daggers tore into any unprotected areas and cut long lines across my flesh where they could. I couldn¡¯t stay defensive, they¡¯d pick me apart!


    I lashed out with a kick, causing the dagger wielder to stab downward. My heart skipped a beat as I felt a dagger try to pierce my leg but the armor blocked it. But I could barely focus on that as a pole tried to rearrange me into pieces. It hit harder than Ragual had ever been able to, shaking me like a leaf in a storm and leaving cracks across my armor. It wouldn¡¯t hold up for long against these kinds of strikes and I hadn¡¯t even managed to do any real damage yet!


    I could hear fighting coming from behind me, Ragual doing his best just to stay alive, as my brain rapidly tried to figure out what to do. Our opponents were just too much. It felt like no matter what I would try, they¡¯d win. Every time. It felt like a noose was closing around my throat. Our only advantage was light. Even now, both turtles could barely look at me, their eyes showing how they were practically blind staring at me.


    We¡¯d been too arrogant, not thinking this through. A level [8] and [7] weren¡¯t going to beat four level [10]¡¯s without something massive to bridge the gap and the other side already had weapons.


    Blow after blow came at me, my arms already feeling like they were starting to break from the heavy hits. The armbraces were only going to be able to do so much and the moment they broke or any of the armor broke, would spell our end. It stung, realizing that the last attack had merely been a probing strike from them. They had our measure and I could see it past the anger in their eyes. They didn¡¯t think they were going to lose in any way.


    My mind spun faster, faster. I was far less injured than I¡¯d ever been and yet I felt almost as close to death as I had when I¡¯d first met Ragual. My mind was screaming, my blood was boiling, it was telling me I¡¯d walked into a fight I will not survive if I didn¡¯t get lucky or pull out something right now!


    As the seconds ticked by, that screaming almost began to give way to despair as my heart rate skyrocketed. My fledging fighting experience was going to start thinking I was doomed in about half a second. I could tell why, the information coming faster than it ever had, like a new layer of my mind had been turned over.


    The armor. It was doing so much more than I thought. Combined with the light it was protecting me, shielding me, but it was one hit away from breaking. The moment it did, the exact moment any piece did, they¡¯d stab me or break me, and then they¡¯d capitalize on it. A single injury and in the next moment, I¡¯d be dead. I could almost see it. The next slam of the pole would break my armor and then the dagger wielder would dart in, eyes closed, dagger pushed straight up faster than I could see, tearing through my body and stabbing me in the heart.


    I was walking a knife edge and as the hammer blow of the pole came towards me, I realized this was the very last moment I had to try to change my fate. A split second before it hit me, my hand shot downwards, grabbing my last hope.


    My pupils shook as it hit, my armor shattering and cracking apart into pieces, the pure power rocking me apart. I could feel all of my ribs crack simultaneously and one break completely. The pain was indescribable as I screamed and before the pieces even had a moment to hit the ground, the one with the daggers ducked in close, daggers rising to pierce through me. My death, my future, my fate, my end, it was all playing out in that cold moment.


    But my hand burned. The burning cloth scorching my hand, the pain focusing me away from the debilitating hit, just enough to turn. The daggers came and the daggers stabbed, but they only barely missed hitting anything truly vital. My palm shot forward and latched onto the turtle''s face as we both screamed.


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    His were louder.


    Its eyes boiled and burnt, the burning cloth shoved right across them, blinded not just by light but by damage now. It stabbed my hand in a flurry of movement that-


    I thought I knew pain. I was wrong. Agony destroyed my hand as I screamed like a broken monster, loud enough to shake the stone walls around us. I pulled my hand back, but it was far too late. It was less a hand and more a broken, ruined lump of destroyed flesh, too bloody to even be recognized for what it once was. It had been pierced so many times, so fast, that the amount of stabbings had completely disfigured it.


    The dagger wielding turtled pulled back, screams still echoing, as the pole came at me again. Angrier, faster. I raised my hand up only to feel it crack through the armbrace and slam onto the Vambrace itself. The light flickered before turning off, the only light coming from the burning cloth and torch on the ground, dyeing us in firelight. My arm was all but broken after that hit and again the pole came towards me.


    I dodged, my movements faster than they ever had been, only success by prediction and instinct available. I moved before they came and it was only a miracle that I dodged the blows. I had to dive, duck, and weave because my life depended on it. I could feel the air parting, every swing and hit harder than those from the gangsters who¡¯d shattered my body in what felt like a lifetime ago.


    Time was running out. I¡¯d bought it at the cost of my hand, multiple stab wounds, and a broken arm but it was only buying time. If I was hit, if Ragual lost, if the turtle screaming and clawing at its burnt out eyes returned to the fight, if anything changed I¡¯d be dead.


    So I changed first.


    I charged, getting closer and as a slam of the pole came for my side, I let the lessons I¡¯d been taught through fighting Ragual flow through me. I jumped, whipping a leg back and slamming it into the face of the pole user. They stumbled back but one lesson wasn¡¯t enough here. I used the momentum of the kick to dash towards the dagger wielder. He was blind and in agony but I knew all too well how fast that could change.


    I had to kill him right now.


    I had one arm but two legs. I wasn¡¯t used to using them but now wasn¡¯t the time for thought. It was the time for action. Death waited closer than it ever had and it wasn¡¯t only me that it was calling for. Ragual¡¯s fight was quieter and my heart raced in both adrenaline for my own life and panic for his. He was my friend. My first one in years. If he died-


    My thoughts cut off as I slammed into the dagger wielding ninja turtle. It fell, my body on top, and I used the most deadly thing I had available. My head. The pole wielder had already taken a few blows, with the kick I hope I had time. I only needed time. The dagger tried to stab at me, but I¡¯d hit its side and twisted to be on its back as we fell. I pressed down on the back of its neck with my one good arm, barely holding it as it struggled.


    And then I slammed my head down on its, helmet and all.


    The force was like a gunshot in the tunnel. It¡¯s head between a rock helmet and the full force I could muster and the rock of the tunnel. I felt dizzy, dazed even. I may have been wearing the helmet but it only provided so much protection. I¡¯d felt like Ragual had punched me as hard as he could in the head. It hurt, all of it hurt. Everything hurt.


    The turtle was still moving, so I didn¡¯t stop, each hit fast and hard. Time was running out. I felt my skull crack, my brain shake, and my blood pour down from broken skin into my eyes. But I didn¡¯t stop. I wouldn¡¯t stop. I would never stop! I wasn¡¯t going to die here!


    I leaned back for a hit, only to freeze for a moment.


    The turtle wasn¡¯t moving.


    A pole came for me and only a quickly raised arm prevented my head from being torn from my body. The hit was unlike any other I¡¯d ever experienced. My left arm had barely been damaged so far and yet the hit broke my armbrace and my arm all in one go. My body faired little better, feeling myself practically be launched away.


    Then I saw it.


    In the flickering light of the burning cloth and dying torch, the pole wielders eyes were frantic, panicked, angry, afraid, as it stared down at its brother. He wasn¡¯t moving and a quick look could see why. It was too dark to see fully, but red blood flowed from its head. It didn¡¯t look¡­ intact. Like a broken eggshell.


    More than anything though, a realization like lightning struck me.


    I couldn¡¯t see its power level anymore. It was gone.


    I¡¯d killed him.


    I¡¯d killed someone. A person. Not a rabid animal, but a person. A person trying to kill me but a person. I¡¯d killed a person. A person. An actual person. A- A-


    A head disintegrated, torrents of blood pouring out, my father''s body lying on his back. Vega¡¯s outstretched hand. His smile, his evil smile. I¡¯d¡­ I¡¯d¡­


    A yell like thunder shattered my eardrums. It wasn¡¯t in a language. It was a croak, but I knew that croak. It was my name. Ragual was screaming for me.


    I turned¡­ just in time to see the sword fall.

 Chapter 28: Ki Horizons

    In that moment, it was like time had stopped. Everything became so clear, so slow, so obvious. My mind poured over everything like a fresh layer of hell scorching me into pieces.


    The nunchuck wielder was holding his throat, his face a mess, as he laid on the harsh stone. He had puked, stomach already starting to change colors and blood leaking from his mouth. Ragual had hit hard and one of those punches had clearly landed right on his throat. He was choking to death, slowly. His throat had probably collapsed. His eyes looked panicked and his nunchucks lay at his side.


    The sword wielder looked cold and furious, rage bathing his eyes. They reminded me of master¡¯s but somehow filled with less hate. Pig iron to his steel. But still more than enough. He barely showed any damage that I could see, he seemed to practically be in perfect form. At best, his hand seemed damaged slightly and I had no idea how that had happened.


    And Ragual¡­ oh Ragual. His body was sliced to pieces. The armor had clearly helped but it¡¯d been torn and broken off him. He was on his knees, head down, barely moving. Just his back alone showed three puncture marks where the sword had gone right through him and the blood that was pooling around him was horrifying. If even his back looked so slashed up¡­ I was terrified of what I¡¯d see if I could see his front.


    His helmet had been knocked off somehow, a large bloody gash falling across his head. Purple blood was all around him and all of it his. I was surprised he was even alive.


    And the sword.


    The sword was coming, falling down. Like judgment day. I saw it fall, saw as the sands of time slowly fell forward, the inevitable coming down. I tried to move, to make it in time, to stop this. To end this. To save him. I had to. I had to save him. I could do it, I needed to, I couldn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t bear with this Ragual. I couldn¡¯t live knowing my need to leave was what got you killed. We could¡¯ve waited, we could¡¯ve trained, we could¡¯ve tried harder and harder. We would¡¯ve grown stronger and eventually beat these guys. We wouldn¡¯t have even needed to use armor.


    We could¡¯ve brought weapons, tried our best with them. It would¡¯ve been more effective than our weak fists and kicks. We could¡¯ve tried harder. Been trained by guards even. We could¡¯ve swallowed our pride and arrogance. All we needed to have was patience and courage enough to wait.


    I¡¯d been too arrogant, too prideful, too impatient. I¡¯d seen four people with every advantage possible, including a power level one. Stronger, faster, more well trained, more numbers, better equipment, everything. And I¡¯d forced us to go and try anyway. We had been dealing with assassins and leapt at them like sheep to a slaughter.


    And now my desire to escape was going to get Ragual killed.


    I needed to move. To get there. To help right now. I wouldn¡¯t move, everything was slow, too slow. So slow. Think! Think! What did I have? What could I do?! Could I throw something, burn something? Yell something? Would any of it be faster than a falling sword? Would he even stop? What could I do? I had to save him. I had to. I had-


    The sword was falling, my instincts were silent, my mind was panicking, everything was happening again. Someone was going to die. The light was going to leave Ragual¡¯s eyes. He¡¯d be dead, his village-


    A pain unlike any other screamed from my soul. His village! He¡¯s the strongest one there! What would happen without him? Could they protect themselves? They¡¯d have to send someone weaker out to guard the entrance or try to seal it but, but-


    They¡¯d all die. Sooner or later¡­ something would kill them all without their protector. Even a rat might be able to do it. The turtles might actually go back for revenge after we¡¯d killed two of their brothers. They¡¯d all die. I¡¯d¡­ I¡¯d¡­ I¡¯d have killed them all. I¡¯d have ruined their paradise and killed them all.


    If they¡¯d never met me, if Ragual had never been kind to me, he wouldn¡¯t be dying right now.


    I was no better than Vega.


    Something burned. My flesh felt like kindling as my soul and mind screamed. I wasn¡¯t like Vega. I wasn¡¯t him. I refused. I refused. Even if I had to kill the world, break reality, turn back time itself, I refused.


    Ragual will not die here!


    I stretched out my hand, my mind on fire, my body breaking in ways I couldn¡¯t understand, and I felt it. Something, something beyond me. Beyond everything. Beyond all. It felt like staring at the endless blue skies and stretching on for farther than there was space in the universe. It felt like all of reality and more. It was the Horizon itself, the very concept of it.


    I didn¡¯t care. I¡¯d break it all if I needed to. It didn¡¯t matter. The universe didn¡¯t matter as much as one Battle Toad¡¯s life right now.


    My left arm exploded and a blue beam of energy and light poured out of it, and slammed into the sword.


    And kept going.


    It hit the turtle and it froze as the darkness around us was banished. Moments later, the beam died away and I could see the unbelievable. There was a hole larger than my head going through it¡¯s chest. You could see the rock wall on the other side. His pupils shook, shock the last thing he felt, before the life left his eyes. His pupils were still shaking as he fell backwards and hit the stone, dead.


    I stared but it didn¡¯t matter. He was dead. Dead. Dead. My mind¡­ messy. He was alive, Ragual was alive. He was- my head. Dizzy. I felt so, heavy. Dizzy. My eyes hurt. Why did my eyes hurt? I looked down at my arm, it was gone from the shoulder down. Huh.


    It didn¡¯t hurt.


    That was kinda scary. I couldn¡¯t, stop now. Still¡­ one more¡­ turtle. I turned, only to see terrified eyes staring back at me. I expected¡­ rage. Sorrow. No one¡­ has ever looked at me like that. Huh. I¡­ don¡¯t like it. I¡¯m not scary. I¡¯m Mutai. Just Mutai. Warrior. Martial artist. But¡­ just¡­ Mutai.


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    Had to, help Ragual. He was hurt, dying. I had to get him to the village. I had to-


    My legs wouldn¡¯t move. Huh. That was¡­ strange. Was I dying? Weird. That¡¯s so weird. What would Maui say? He¡¯d probably.. Uhhh.. laugh? Nah. He¡¯d, probably be scared huh? So weird. Why would he be¡­ scared too?


    Ragual. Had to help him. He needed my help. The village¡­ the village could save him. Just had, to get up. Get up. Come on legs, please? Please get up? I needed you to do that so I could help my buddy. I needed you right now. Come on, move already. Legs? Are you even listening?


    Sorry Ragual, my legs, they aren¡¯t talking to me right now.


    My head feels weird.


    Huh. Things are darker. Oh, my eyes are closed. When did that happen? The turtle is gone. Weird. So many weird things are going on.


    A shadow falls over me. Oh. Am I going to die now?


    I look up and-


    I gasp.


    ¡°Ragual.¡±


    He¡¯s bloody. So bloody. Wow, that¡¯s a lot of blood Ragual. Why are you so bloody? You¡¯ve been torn and opened up. That¡¯s horrible. Awful. I think I can see your heart beating. That¡¯s crazy. Are you even alive right now? It¡¯s like you were dissected. Ew. You look really gross Ragual. You gotta look better for the ladies. Or do you like men? That¡¯s okay if you like men. I-


    How are you standing?


    ¡°Wow. You¡¯re so strong. You¡¯re so much stronger than me Ragual. I wanna be like you when I grow up. That¡¯s so cool. You¡¯re so cool.¡±


    The light fades as a hand reaches for me.


    *****


    The dream¡­


    It returns.


    Vega stares, hauntingly without skin or eyes. The depiction of ultimate evil, inhuman, a monster made flesh but long has it lost any sort of morality.


    The stars collide, explosions reign, as power suffuses me.


    All is white, all is gold, but now there¡¯s an atom, a literal atom, of a new color in the world. Blue. It exists, below notice, but it exists. I can feel it, the horizon dyed.


    Evil pours down around the world. I can see it, sense it, feel it. The golden road brightens and flows, rainbow along its edges.


    Figures of wrong flow and exist, dyeing things a color that can not be named. Their silhouettes like the lightning scream of colors. All and none.


    An eye stares down at me, looking for me. It is death beyond all I know and it must not find you.


    I¡¯m afraid. So afraid. Fear unlike death floats towards me. It is beyond death, it is worse than death, it is the unmaking.


    A fist of panic is thrown and the universe breaks.


    *****


    I wake up screaming. I don¡¯t stop. Nothing but the dream in my head exists. The unmaking. It is, it can¡¯t be, I can¡¯t, it can¡¯t, I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t, no no no no. No. No no. Make it go away. Go away! Make it go away! I can¡¯t be, I won¡¯t be unmade! Make it go away!


    Time stretches like an eternal band of horror, before blessed darkness takes me again.


    Even in my dreams, I scream again and again.


    My very soul cries and wails like a toddler with a tiger about to eat it. It doesn¡¯t understand, it doesn¡¯t know, but it can feel it. Something with things it can¡¯t understand yet staring at it, the feeling like a heat or a sickness, baring down on you. It doesn¡¯t know the tiger hungers, it doesn¡¯t understand the tiger''s malice, it only knows that it''s scared. That it¡¯s going to die. It doesn¡¯t understand that either. It only knows it''s in danger.


    Danger.


    I¡¯m in danger. I¡¯m in danger.


    Like a lock clicking into place, the memory begins to fade. The dream pulls away, farther and farther away from me, till only like gaps in a board does it fit. The silhouettes, the unmaking, the pure scale of it all, dies away. All that I am left with is fear and worry about something beyond me.


    My soul screams in the residual terror.


    I will not be unmade!


    *****


    I open my eyes. And immediately regret it.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    White and black agony coil around my whole body. I cringe and shake and cry and scream a little. Everything hurts and I can¡¯t even understand the pain. It¡¯s so intense, so dull, and so much more than anything I¡¯d ever felt. I try to move parts of my body and I do, and that worries the deepest pits of my psyche more than anything else.


    I can¡¯t see, eyes wide open but unable to see. I¡¯m not blind but my focus is so shattered that I might as well be and I can¡¯t pull it together. My eyes hurt. They hurt so damn much. Did I somehow burn them? Did someone take out my eyes? No, I can still see.


    I can feel, so much. There¡¯s no loving numbness like before. That''s the final thought that brings panic to my mind.


    Did I not make it?


    Are we not in the village?


    I focus, hard, and finally see herbs dangling above me. My fears only relax slightly. I should be immobile and numb, why aren¡¯t I?


    Sitting up, I finally notice something I couldn¡¯t before. Three different frogs are yelling at me, croaking loudly, trying to hold me down. They¡¯re failing. My mind wars. I need to, to, what does it need to do? I can¡¯t¡­ why, the pain is making it hard to think.


    Having had enough, one of the frogs takes a risk and grabs my head, trying to push it down with all her strength. I resist and in that resistance¡­ finally give up. My body lands back with an oomph.


    The healer sighs in croak, before going back to administering her healing. It hurts. It shouldn¡¯t hurt, why does it hurt now?


    ¡°Ragual.¡± I spit out. I have to know, I need to know-


    The healer points to the right with a grave look.


    I turn, my eyes trying their best to stop working and-


    Ragual. He¡¯s covered in bandages, his whole damn body, with enough different plants and, are those needles? Stabbing into him. He looks like he was abducted, mummified, covered in strange alien plants like a piece of dirt, and then stabbed with hundreds of very, very long needles.


    It¡¯s horrifying.


    But this is a healer''s house. Healer. So that means-


    ¡°Oh. He¡¯s alive.¡±


    The relief hits me so hard that I¡¯m out before I can even blink.

 Chapter 29: He lives!

    Time passes in a blur. I can feel it but I don¡¯t wake up. Not really. The dreams change but they¡¯re just dreams or fog. Something¡¯s wrong. I can feel it, deep inside. Something is wrong with me. I can¡¯t tell what but it¡¯s bad. The deadly kind of bad. It¡¯s not a wound on the surface but one deep inside. Something broke me.


    With that uncomfortable thought, light shines down into my eyes.


    I blink awake, feeling mostly numb. Slowly, painfully, I sit up. I¡¯m relieved to see the frog people here don¡¯t immediately shove me back down. That must mean my healing is over. They all watch me cautiously and¡­ sadly? I don¡¯t understand.


    I sit up and try to look over my body-


    W-What the¡­


    My arm. My arm is gone.


    I try to move my left arm, feel it, do anything with it but it¡¯s useless. It¡¯s not there. The entire thing is gone. I can still feel it, as if it¡¯s right there! But it¡¯s, not. It¡¯s just gone. It aches in a way I could never have imagined. It¡¯s not the only loss. My right hand¡­ it¡¯s barely any better off. Still there but, no dexterity. It¡¯s fully wrapped in bandages and I get the feeling these aren¡¯t the type to ever be removed fully, only replaced. It¡¯s like my hand has turned into a mitten and below, I can feel that it''s actually far worse than that.


    What the hell even happened to me?


    The memories move like lightning. The fight, the brutal fight, the arrogance of us leaving here to fight them so underprepared, seeing Ragual moments away from death and¡­


    Ki. I used Ki.


    It only cost me an arm to do so. It was worth it. I¡¯d saved Ragual¡¯s life. I turn, my body feeling like ash. Ragual is still there, alive, but looking like he had been dropped out of a horror film. His whole body, even his head, is wrapped in bandages.


    The healer croaks at me and then makes such a simple but meaningful gesture that I nearly break into tears.


    She points at Ragual and then makes a thumbs up. The casual gesture clashes with the absolutely dead serious look in her eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to be okay?¡±


    She doesn¡¯t even need gestures from me to know what my obvious question was. She simply nods, croaks, and starts helping get all the moss, herbs, and bandages off me. Whatever plants they use down here is absolutely not normal. I¡¯d thought that before but I¡¯d only reinforced that now. A dedicated healing tank should¡¯ve been needed for Ragual. He should be dead, a hundred times over. I¡¯d seen him fucking eviscerated, torn open till I could see his organs.


    I frown.


    The fact that it took me nearly four weeks to heal the first time means I had some serious underlying issues huh?


    I shake off those thoughts. I don¡¯t know what to feel. I¡¯m hurt and down an arm, but I actually used Ki for the first time. Ragual and I nearly died, but he¡¯s alive right now and going to get better. We were alive but I felt like I¡¯d made us go into a fight we should¡¯ve never survived. There was still one turtle left and if it seriously tried to attack the village and get revenge before Ragual was up, they¡¯d be in trouble. The problem wasn¡¯t even it¡¯s power level, simply it¡¯s stealth.


    There was a lot of good but always as a result from bad.


    The result was clear, I needed to stay here until Ragual was healed. I had to. Even before the turtle or protection of the village got into play¡­ I couldn¡¯t just leave him like this. No way.


    It seems like I¡¯d be spending some more time in this village.


    *****


    The weeks passed and soon a month had passed.


    The whole while, the village was the unhappiest I¡¯d ever seen it. The mood was dark and dour, waiting to see if their champion was going to make it despite the healer''s reassurances. The worst part was not knowing if he was fine and just finishing his healing or if his life was in danger. The frog people tried to comfort me, they seemed to understand the bond I had with Ragual, our friendship, but it was a cold comfort. They practically forced me to stay in his house after I tried to just sleep on a lilypad alone. Food came in the form of swimming and grabbing the water plants that Ragual had fed me before.


    In all ways, it sucked.


    Not the least of which was the lost arm. It made every single aspect difficult. Swimming, moving, even breathing felt different. My weight was off, the constant ache and phantom feeling of it being right there, it was a thoroughly miserable existence, especially at the beginning. I¡¯d like to think I got used to it. That would be a lie.


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    In comparison, the loss of my right hand was¡­ well, awful. I couldn¡¯t pick anything up, only awkwardly press it against me. Having only one barely functional hand was one of the most brutal things I¡¯d ever experienced and I hated every single passing moment of it.


    I tried training but honestly¡­ what was the first thing I knew about really training? I could barely remember any of the things I¡¯d been taught from the first dojo I¡¯d been at and the second one had just had me punch a bag before throwing me into hell. I at least tried going for runs around the village. Which led to a new understanding. My stamina was, terrible. Absolutely terrible. I was dead on my feet before halfway around the village. It didn¡¯t seem normal either.


    Which led to the worst realization of all. I decided to look at my power level and-


    [6]


    ¡°D-Down? A power level can go down?!¡±


    I was weaker physically, sure, but a power level wasn¡¯t just your body''s strength. It was deeper. Even a half blind, deaf, old man on his deathbed could still throw a punch that could kill me if his power level was high enough. Power level didn¡¯t go down. No matter how destroyed my body got, my power level wouldn¡¯t go down. It was related to a far deeper inner strength that spread to the outer and reinforced each other as one. You could cut up a piece of steel as much as you want, it was still steel.


    This was a qualitative downgrade. I ran slower, I had less energy, I had less strength in every ounce of my body. It made no sense, no physical problems can do that.


    The only thing I could think of¡­ was my Ki. I¡¯d felt weaker than normal but I just thought I was still healing. But something deep inside me had been injured somehow. That old man, master, had been pretty firm about me not worrying about Ki right now. Maybe this was why. Hopefully he could help fix me after I finally left. Because otherwise¡­


    Am I going to be stuck like this? I can¡¯t believe I got weaker. I need power and strength. Will I forever be stuck like this? No. No way. I¡¯ll find a way to heal this. I¡¯ll get the power I lost and more back. I¡¯ll-


    My thoughts spiraled over and over. It hit my mind and soul like a bomb. A power level was everything in this world. It was like¡­ losing pieces of yourself. Perhaps that¡¯s what had happened. The idea of going back in progress¡­ it made me shiver in horror. I¡¯d worked like a mad broken animal to try and gain even a .01 increase and now I¡¯d lost a whole number at once. I didn¡¯t dare look at my vambrace, too terrified to see the results. I tried not to think about it. But with the loss of what felt like a piece of my soul, the loss of my arm, my hand, the dour mood in the village, and Ragual still healing, I¡¯d rarely felt so terrible in my life.


    I wanted to drink again. Really bad. I missed it, the numbness. Just something heavy, to take the edge off. I knew they had alcohol here. I could just-


    No. No, that was, I couldn¡¯t slip that far again. Never again. How would I even lift the bottle? I just had to wait.


    Three days later, Ragual woke up.


    *****


    I¡¯d been outside, trying to shadow box with one arm and doing poorly, when one of the assistants burst out of the water, grabbed my arm, and dragged me in. The moment I touched it, I was already speeding ahead of her, kicking and swimming for all my might and outpacing her. There was only one reason they¡¯d be this serious.


    I burst into the healer''s hut, sopping wet, and ran inside as fast as possible until-


    ¡°Ragual!¡±


    He was sitting up, mostly still bandaged, but with only one going over his head. He smiled a pained smile at me. It took everything in my power not to throw myself into a hug as it felt like the stars had finally come out and the sun had finally broken through. It was like a light I didn¡¯t realize had destroyed the darkness in me. I was racked with emotion, wanting to scream, cry, hug.


    I apparently chose to do all but the last.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡±


    ¡°Mutai.¡± He said via croak.


    ¡°Do you need anything? Are you okay? Do you need food, or water? I was pretty thirsty afterwards. You saved me! How did you even move or get back after that fight? I was out like a light. I¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stop myself from rambling, my joy and happiness overflowing and bouncing off each other like energy balls. It was like every moment of seeing Ragual up, alive, and smiling was a new radiating explosion. I couldn¡¯t stop and just said everything I could and wanted to say and had been thinking about for over a month, even knowing he couldn¡¯t understand me.


    ¡°And¡­and¡­ and I¡¯m sorry Ragual. I¡¯m so sorry. This would have never happened if you didn¡¯t-¡±


    He croaked, anger in his tone. He might not have been able to understand me but he could understand the tone. I looked at him and he simply shook his head no.


    ¡°But-¡±


    No.


    I wanted to scream at him for that. It was my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have done what I¡¯d done, I should¡¯ve gone alone, I should¡¯ve-


    He simply kept shaking his head no. He raised his arm, pointed at me, then him, and made a fist. I felt the words despite none having been said, shaking me to my core.


    ¡°We won.¡±


    Tears glistened in my eyes.


    ¡°...Yeah. Yeah we did you damn Battle Toad. We won.¡±


    I tried making a fist back, only to realize one arm was missing and the other hand was incapable of it. I laughed at Ragual¡¯s dumbfounded expression even as his face crumbled like paper. There was a lot in those eyes but I just couldn¡¯t stop laughing at the look he had a moment ago. I was just too happy.


    My friend was alive!


    I tried to reassure him as he clearly seemed horrified at my injuries, but my joy and laughter kept winning out. Ragual was alive, how bad could things really be? That was how I learned that the middle finger transcended cultures and laughed even harder at Ragual.


    He stood, mighty as a mountain, and walked out with me.


    We didn¡¯t even make it out the door before the crowd outside screamed in joy and rushed him.

 Chapter 30: Its been a long time coming. But we made it.

    I didn¡¯t want to leave. It¡¯s not that I wanted to stay here per se, it¡¯s just that the idea of leaving again made my heart race. There was a massive mix inside me about it, but it was almost all negative. Out there, was dangerous. Behind me, in the tunnels I¡¯d spent far too long in, I¡¯d had to eat raw rat, nearly died of disease and infection, nearly died multiple times. It was awful in a very long way.


    And yet in front could almost be worse. I¡¯d overestimated myself and nearly gotten me and my friend killed. I¡¯d lost an arm, a hand, and lowered my very power level itself. There were still things in the dark and unless I became incredibly proficient with my legs, I¡¯d be less than useless against them. The dark and the unknown were terrifying, especially since one of the turtles got away.


    The only reason and thing waiting for me on the other side¡­ was freedom. Freedom from these sewers and the hope that master could help me fix what I¡¯d broken. That he could help me restore my power level, heal my hand and lost arm, and train me more to gain strength so I¡¯d never be in such a horrible situation again.


    I¡¯d have waited and lingered for a long, long time if I could. Ignoring it, pretending I wasn¡¯t just procrastinating because I was scared and guilty. Ragual was having none of that. After a single day of greeting all the villagers, eating a massive meal, and sleeping the sleep of the dead, he had literally dragged me to the tunnel. He had listened to none of my protests, verbal or otherwise. I couldn¡¯t even make any hand symbols to get my point across.


    Ragual was still bandaged a bit, but the healers here had the strange philosophy of not letting someone up until they were fully healed. In that way, Ragual had made a full recovery. And more.


    [9]


    He¡¯d grown stronger from that life and death battle. He¡¯d pushed past and broken his limits. The distance between us had grown ridiculous. I¡¯d grown weaker and he¡¯d grown stronger. Ragual knew it. He didn¡¯t have a Vambrace, he didn¡¯t have the ability to see power levels, but he could tell. I saw worry in those eyes that almost went deep into panic at times. He had made his point crystal clear when he¡¯d pointed at me, the surface, and then raised a fist.


    He wanted me to go up there and get stronger again. He¡¯d even pointed to a herb and then me. Specifically, my missing left arm and destroyed right hand. He wanted me to get healed. I didn¡¯t know if the healing tank could put me back together but, well, I had hope and that was more than most could ever wish for.


    He pushed the boulder almost like it was nothing this time. At least, that¡¯s how it seemed. Pushing it back with the same sort of ease. Something I wouldn¡¯t be able to do right now, for multiple reasons. He¡¯d grabbed his torch for the third time and we entered into the darkness.


    It was quiet, peaceful this time, but I was on high alert, as was Ragual. My Vambrace still worked, seeming even harder than the armor I¡¯d worn. It didn¡¯t even have a scratch from where It¡¯d been slammed into. Turning on the light with no hand was rough but pecking at it like the world¡¯s stupidest bird with my nose did the trick. Ragual wouldn¡¯t stop laughing and a swift kick to the ass shut him up.


    Stupid Battle Toad, pay attention to our surroundings.


    The walk was quiet and tense. We passed by more bones, more skeletons, and even more blue crystal growth in the walls. Ultimately though, when we passed by where the ninja turtle bodies should be, there was no trace of them. I could tell it was the same location by the hole in the stone wall.


    I stared at it, as did Ragual. This is where he almost died and where I¡¯d unleashed a blast of Ki that had destroyed my arm and power level, but saved his life, as well as murdering one of the turtles. The hole was deep, beyond what our light could shine through. I still couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d managed to do that. The moment was so crystal clear in some areas and foggy in others. I¡¯d felt a connection with the entire universe in that moment but I couldn¡¯t see what I¡¯d connected to. It was like feeling your place in the universe and also seeing fog in high definition behind glass. The way it¡¯d felt then¡­ it was¡­ infinity. Ki was infinite. That¡¯s how it felt and I¡¯d taken a piece of my own infinity and unleashed it long before I should.


    I was lucky to get away with just destroying my arm. It had vaporized completely in a moment, even sealing its own wound shut and frying the nerves.


    We shook off the moment and kept going. Danger was still everywhere and we needed to be going forward sooner rather than later.


    Finally, as if from my deepest dreams and hopes and wishes, I saw it.


    A literal light at the end of the tunnel.


    We continued on, my heart beating like a drum, blood pounding in my ears. Was it¡­ finally time? Could I really finally be getting out of here?


    The tunnel continued to slope up until-


    Sky. A blue sky, white clouds, green grass, a sun. A sun. It was mid day, noon maybe. Birds were singing and the entrance we¡¯d come out of was old and abandoned, vines and other plants coiling around the stone.


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    Ragual stared up, just as in much awe as me. No matter how much I¡¯d seen it before, it¡¯d been too long. Far too long. I¡¯d thought, I¡¯d thought I¡¯d never get to see this sight again. I felt the wind brush against my skin and flow through my hair. I was far, far cleaner than when I¡¯d first found myself in the sewers but still, only with something fresh to compare it to, did I realize how¡­ ¡®earthy¡¯ I smelled. My scent was rich to say the least, despite diving regularly in a pool. Well, I¡¯m sure part of me smelled like frog and toad so¡­


    My smile was wide and I wanted to do nothing more than lay in the grass and stare up at the sky. How long had it been? How long was I down there? How long had it been since I¡¯d even looked up at the sky and smiled in joy? That last one, it had been years at least. It had been so long since I¡¯d been outside the city and just appreciated nature. Actually, was this, really the first time I¡¯d been outside the city since I¡¯d arrived?


    I tried to remember a time I¡¯d ever left after being forced here and couldn¡¯t remember a single time.


    At that moment, it crystallized for me. What I truly wanted outside beating the shit out of Vega and getting revenge. I wanted freedom. I wanted to be able to go out into the land and experience more of this wonderful world. To see new sights, to see new people and amazing things. Just experience the pure wonder of nature. I could do without going and visiting any more sewers or underground areas though. Maybe a nice lake by the ocean or something.


    I felt a massive hand clamp down on my one remaining shoulder. Ragual looked at me, joy radiating outwards. And more. I could see it and understand him. Pride. He¡¯d helped me, he¡¯d saved me, he¡¯d gotten me here. He¡¯d managed the impossible and done it.


    Ragual, truly, I don¡¯t deserve you. Your will¡­ I think your will is so much stronger than mine. But I will live up to it.


    ¡°Hey buddy. We did it.¡±


    He croaked in return.


    I took a step back, looking at him. I could already tell. This is where we separated.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine Ragual.¡± I said when I saw the worried look appear in his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t be that far away from the city walls. I¡¯ll get there immediately. You¡¯ve been one of the best friends, my only friend, in years. And you¡¯ve done more for me than you ever could have or should have. Well, besides nearly killing me that one time.¡±


    I smirked and his eyes narrowed. He didn¡¯t know what I said but he could sense I said something unflattering.


    He croaked back at me, saying his own words that I couldn¡¯t understand. I listened dutifully and narrowed my own eyes when I caught a smirk and a glance down at my stomach. This bastard was asking for it.


    He raised a fist towards me and I fist bumped with my own bandaged hand.


    He croaked but the words were obvious.


    ¡°Goodbye Mutai.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye Ragual. I¡¯ll see you around and I¡¯ll come back one day. So you better get stronger! Because next time, I¡¯m not gonna be relying so much on you.¡±


    I raised a fist into the air and he matched me.


    I watched his back, scarred but unbroken, as he walked back into the darkness.


    I smiled, before realizing I was outside the city walls and had no idea where I was.


    ¡°Ah. I might¡­ want to hurry then.¡±


    *****


    Thankfully, the Vambrace had GPS that actually worked now that I wasn¡¯t a few miles underground.


    Finding the entrance to the city was easy, being let inside even easier. It might have had walls but it didn¡¯t really block anyone from entering. It was just there for the big creatures and wildlife out there. Dinosaurs, winged abominations, giant versions of other animals, robots, things like that.


    Finding the dojo proved a little harder. I was tempted, so tempted, to just call master but my feelings on him were still too much. I wanted, no, I needed to see him in person. To talk to him in person. Which meant wandering around a city, wearing nothing but white cloth underwear, asking for directions.


    For a moment, I thought I¡¯d stand out.


    Then I passed a woman with three heads arguing about the weather and realized I¡¯d forgotten the kind of city I was in.


    After an embarrassingly long time, where I remembered that there was a hot dog stand nearby and then made the logical leap that his dojo couldn¡¯t have been that far from where I¡¯d nearly died to gangsters and spent another two hours searching, I finally found the right area.


    It was dark by the time I found the dojo and staring at it, standing outside the alley, felt surreal to a degree I didn¡¯t know was possible.


    This was where the man that had saved me and trained me was. The man who¡¯d helped me break my limit. The man who truly believed I could beat Vega and who only wanted me to get revenge for him in exchange.


    I owed him everything in a way.


    And he¡¯d sent me to hell in all but name. With no warning and little advice, he¡¯d gambled my life. It had made me stronger in spirit and mind than I¡¯d ever be with power level alone, but he¡¯d essentially left me to die. There was fear there. Fear that I¡¯d come back and he¡¯d do it all over again in an instant. That I¡¯d wind up somewhere else, even deeper underground, down an arm and a hand, and be told to crawl my way back up until I was stronger.


    And there was anger, blazing blistering anger. I¡¯d suffered unlike ever before, in a hell of shit, piss, blood, and savagery. Even with healing, I had more scars than most people would ever get. Faded as they were, those had stood out, even in this city. After all, healing tanks didn¡¯t leave scars.


    I didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry, whether to thank him or hit him. Whether to go back to being a student and diligently training under him or swear a life long vendetta against him and leave this city never to return.


    I was still thinking, even as the door opened and Master walked out.


    ¡°So,¡± He said. ¡°You survived.¡±

 Chapter 31: Master and Disciple

    ¡°So,¡± He said. ¡°You survived.¡±


    My mind blanked and for once, I decided to forgo all filters. To just let myself¡­ be.


    ¡°That¡¯s it? You send me to hell and nearly get me killed and that¡¯s all you have to say? You survived?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°The conversation has just started.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    The words came out of me like a whip, hatred searing the sides but my emotions were still too complicated. They didn¡¯t have the right heat, the right anger. But I couldn¡¯t even tell if I was angry, or, rather, just angry. I was feeling too much, too overwhelmed. I saw a monster before me, an uncaring and powerful creature, a master dedicated to making me my best regardless of whatever else, a nonchalant old man that cared about nothing. I saw it all and made a startingly easy realization.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t a good person¡­ are you?¡±


    He blinked at that, actually looking surprised for once. And then, to my surprise, he seemed to actually think about the question for a while. When he finally spoke, his words were slow, as if he were trying them out.


    ¡°You know, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever really thought about it. Definitely never been asked the question. Hmm. Well, I guess it depends on person? I like to think I¡¯m mostly good. More the ¡®end justifies the means¡¯ kind of guy if I¡¯m being honest though.¡±


    Now anger took hold.


    ¡°You could have warned me! You could have told me, prepared me, let me get stronger! There was a fucking level [7] rat the moment I ended up there! I only survived by luck and miracles-¡±


    ¡°Wrong.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You were level [3] when you left. No one survives down there like that purely by luck. Regardless of anything else, you earned your survival. Be proud of that Mutai.¡±


    ¡°What is even with you?! You don¡¯t, how can you even, say that? You don¡¯t care about anything and then you try to tell me to be proud? You nearly got me killed! I could have died, so many times, and you barely did anything to help me! I was barely as strong as a teenager and you threw me into the sewers.¡±


    ¡°I told you. You didn¡¯t have enough dissatisfaction. Enough pressure. Tell me Mutai. Truly. How does power feel now? Do you still feel the same about it as you did when you left?¡±


    I wanted to yell and shout and scream at him but the words bit into the core of what I¡¯d realized long ago. Burning embers of vengeance were great in the long term, I¡¯d always want to kill and rip apart Vega until he¡¯s a bleeding wreck on the ground, torn to pieces. But¡­


    ¡°I need it.¡±


    I needed it. I needed it so badly it was like I was starving and dehydrated and delirious. I needed it right the fuck now. I needed it like I needed air. With it I¡¯d never have nearly died to a giant rat and then a horde of them. Never gotten diseased and poisoned and lived in fear of anything finding me. Never nearly had my heart stop at every sound, smell, and movement. Never had to eat raw, disgusting rat. Never had to dive in shit to escape an explosion, even while my body was boiled in it. Even when I¡¯d been relaxing with Ragual, the thought had plagued me. The month where my power level had actually gotten lower had felt like one of the worst hells I¡¯d ever experienced. Losing progress hurt me spiritually to the point I nearly went back to drinking.


    It felt like dying. Losing power felt like dying and not gaining it felt like I was suffocating.


    I needed it.


    ¡°You were getting too strong too fast. You¡¯d have been power level [10] in no time and then sending you there wouldn¡¯t have been a life and death struggle. Not unless I just wanted to kill you, that is.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do more? Even if you don¡¯t care about anything, about me, it¡¯s been so long. You couldn¡¯t have known I was coming back.¡±


    He snorted.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking like I see you as an investment. I suppose I do but Mutai. You¡¯re my disciple. You¡¯ll never grow strong being protected. You needed that experience, you needed to barely survive. You might¡¯ve died, I even thought you¡¯d probably die, but you¡¯d never be strong enough without it. You couldn¡¯t beat Vega like you were, so I did what I had to. I do a lot of that.¡±


    I glared at him. My blood felt like it was boiling as my heart sputtered between ice cold and lukewarm rage. My lost arm and destroyed hand were quickly igniting the fury higher though. The memories, the awful horrible memories, caused them to feel like they were bursting. He had done that to me. This person, this old man, had caused me to experience pain unlike any other. Everything I¡¯d had to endure, he was the cause.


    Which only made me hate that was he right all the more.


    I¡¯d never have been ready to let go and let my family no longer just be a source of pain if I hadn¡¯t ended up on death¡¯s door. That alone had me nearly ready to forgive him. It was a form of relief in my soul that I¡¯d have done anything to have. Even now, remembering the smiling faces of my mother and father seemed to calm me like a balm to the soul.


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    I¡¯d learned so much. Broken my limits, pushed harder than I thought I could, I wasn¡¯t the same Mutai as I was before. He¡¯d have died. He¡¯d have died a lot.


    I tried to stop, to really think about it, to focus. I closed my eyes, even the sight of the man making me want to punch him to death. And as soon as I did, another realization struck me like lightning.


    I couldn¡¯t do what he had done.


    I could never send a power level [3] into a place where [7] was common, there was no real food, where water had been a lucky break, and monsters in the same range as [15] wandered. That was death.


    ¡°How many others have you killed like me before?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t his first student. I might not even be the last if this was the degree of ¡®training¡¯ he had in store for me. Like always, Master was always honest I¡¯d found. Or at least answered questions fully.


    ¡°Too many.¡±


    My heart felt crushed. Had some of those skeletons I¡¯d seen been other disciples? I hadn¡¯t agreed to this, to be trained by an uncaring monster of a madman. Callous. That was the word. He was so damn callous all the damn time. He didn¡¯t really care whether I lived or died. He¡¯d lost empathy somewhere along the way. Or at least most of it. He only cared about goals, both mine and his. His strongest form of caring was simply doing everything he could to help me accomplish my goals and I wasn¡¯t convinced it wasn¡¯t entirely just for his own revenge.


    I looked at him and felt disgust roll into me. This was what revenge with no empathy was like, what vengeance without happiness was. It was a stark lesson. I¡¯d kill Vega, I¡¯d do anything to kill Vega, but I¡¯d never become master. I¡¯d be stronger than that. I¡¯d never discard empathy and kindness.


    I took a deep, deep breath.


    He was a monster but he would push me more than anyone else ever would. He would run the deadly edge between growing me in every single way I could, and killing me. He¡¯d either have me break my limits or die trying.


    I could live with that. I¡¯d do anything if it meant getting strong enough to kill Vega. Even being trained by this¡­ awful person.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re evil.¡± I said.


    ¡°Some people have said that before. You¡¯re not the first.¡±


    Those damn eyes of his, nearly empty. That cold pit of steel and ice went deep.


    I sighed.


    ¡°I need your help.¡± It was true. In more ways than one. He was dedicated to making me able to kill Vega? To kill this mysterious enemy of his? Fine. Even if it killed me, no it wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯d survive, I¡¯d endure, I¡¯d grow stronger, and I¡¯d take everything he could throw at me and more. I¡¯d break through and rid this world of that monster, even if I had to work with monsters to do it.


    ¡°Now those,¡± He said. ¡°Are the eyes of a Warrior. Now come on. It¡¯s chilly out here. You¡¯ve been gone for six months and we need you back in shape to continue our training. I¡¯d thought you¡¯d be stronger though. How did you even lose your arm?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I said, as I walked into the Dojo, passing him by. ¡°That was from when I used Ki.¡±


    Master froze, unmoving, as I passed him and headed toward the healing tank. It was a long few seconds before he suddenly appeared in front of me, eyes staring at me with more emotion than I¡¯d ever seen on his face.


    ¡°What.¡±


    I smirked.


    ¡°You can learn all about it¡­ after you heal me.¡±


    *****


    The one known as Master sat in his room, brows furrowed in concentration. He couldn¡¯t understand. There was no way Mutai should¡¯ve been able to use Ki.


    He¡¯d tried to force it out of him but couldn¡¯t. Mutai had been frustratingly stubborn about not giving him what he wanted till after he was healed. The boy had grown a spine down in the depths but now there were certain consequences of sending a young man to a death zone. Such as this.


    Truthfully, he had already prepared for Mutai to die. He hadn¡¯t been simply waiting these last six months but regardless of his searches, he hadn¡¯t found anyone with the same potential. Not a surprise. He only found someone like that roughly every five years.


    But now he was back with an outlandish story. Ki? That wasn¡¯t¡­ possible.


    ¡°This is serious. Life and death.¡±


    Mutai snorted.


    ¡°It¡¯s been over a month now. Pretty sure it can wait till I¡¯m healed. Hopefully you can help with my lost power level too.¡±


    ¡°Your what?¡±


    The man felt a headache coming on.


    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ how could he¡­¡±


    Ki was the life source of every being. Everything had it. But it was a completely different thing to use it. Yes, some things could use it at birth. That wasn¡¯t that surprising. The problem is, those beings were born above power level [25]. Almost always. Some prodigies beyond prodigies could use it earlier but never below [10]. That was impossible.


    That was like paper surviving a jet engine, even for a second.


    Ki was the very power of your essence. Your body, mind, and soul as one. They fed into each other but primarily needed the container, the body, to achieve higher heights. Power level was measuring your essence in effect. The amount of Ki you were empowered by.


    It¡¯s no wonder Mutai lost a power level, he didn¡¯t have the power level needed to generate ¡®spare¡¯ Ki. He would¡¯ve had to pull from his essence itself. He¡¯d only seen that done through sacrificial rituals before but never through a man simply willing it.


    It was the equivalent of hearing about a person who¡¯d set their own arm on fire and launched it like a rocket, just by thinking about it.


    He¡¯d used his own soul as kindling.


    But it still didn¡¯t make sense. That shouldn¡¯t have been possible. Mutai broke a dozen different rules of Ki by doing that. Hell, he only knew of three real ways to lower power level and this wasn¡¯t one of them.


    ¡°It seems¡­ I may have found the one this time.¡±


    The man simply known as Master sat and thought, his mind spinning, dozens, hundreds of different plans coming together and being discarded in an instant. He had been around for a long time. He¡¯d trained many, many people for a long time. Many died, unable to take it. Many left, no longer wishing to pursue their own goals. Killing Vega wasn¡¯t even a new one.


    ¡°If he can take it¡­ no. He must be able to take it. That¡¯s the only way. Hardship breeds strength. And he¡¯s going to need all the strength in the world and more.¡±


    The Master¡¯s eyes hardened until they were like the burning coals of hell and even in his sleep, floating in a healing tank, Mutai shivered.

 Chapter 32: Final Healings and New Beginnings

    ¡°You fucked up.¡±


    I sat in the healing tank, floating, listening to Master. It was incredibly unnerving seeing him hunched over a screen, staring at it, flickering through different diagnostic readings. He maneuvered it like an expert, brow furrowed in concentration and thought.


    That look of concentration and concern was so unlike him, so alien, that I felt like I was seeing a ghost of a man that had long since departed from this world.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to begin. Everything is wrong. You have diseases that would¡¯ve killed you, moss growing in your lungs and on your heart somehow despite how healthy they seem, an infection in places I didn¡¯t know could actually become infected, an utterly destroyed right hand to the point it¡¯d be easier to cut it off and regrow it, most of your bones look like they were put through a woodchipper and then stitched back together, and your muscles are torn apart and somehow fused in places they shouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°Someone healed you, and they did a good job, but it doesn¡¯t work with base human physiology. Not just that, they definitely healed you multiple times after you kept breaking your body. That¡¯s without looking at your non-existent nutrition, dehydration, and more. I¡¯m surprised you can even see considering these readings are showing that you burnt your eyes somehow. The inner workings of them specifically.¡±


    ¡°And these are literally the least of your issues.¡±


    It was the single longest thing I¡¯d ever heard Master say. It might even be more than he¡¯d said the entire time I¡¯d ever known him. I couldn¡¯t even reply, floating in the tank as I was. Some of that was downright horrifying. When had I burnt my eyes or fused my muscles? I didn¡¯t remember any of that, besides some feelings in certain areas. I could see perfectly fine so, what? And I had moss growing on my lungs and heart. That was extra horrifying.


    I couldn¡¯t even reply but master picked up on my look. He hadn¡¯t mentioned the elephant in the room.


    ¡°Yeah. Your arm was destroyed by a ki blast. It tried to originate from your arm and failed. It should¡¯ve killed you. Well,¡± He scratched his cheek. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have been possible at all but we can talk about that another time. The healing tank can heal most of this, the problem is the Ki.¡±


    Master grimaced as he looked at another screen, this one showing all red.


    ¡°Ki shouldn¡¯t be played around with until you¡¯re stronger. The body, mind, and soul can¡¯t handle it. It would¡¯ve harmed all three at once. The body was your arm being destroyed. The mind, how was that after your blast?¡±


    He looked at me and now it was my turn to grimace. I mouthed a single word at him. ¡®Bad.¡¯ I¡¯d practically been mentally broken for a while, loopy. It was like a certain part of my mind had broken and now I knew it was because it literally had. Thankfully that part had at least healed.


    Master nodded.


    ¡°The mind is more resilient than the body. That¡¯s not the concern if you can still speak without being an invalid. The problem is the soul Mutai. This should have damaged it.¡±


    The instant he said it, I remembered the dream. The horizon, white and gold, the unmaking.


    It was a blur but pure terror hit me in ways I couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Ah. Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Master said as he saw my face.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to have to deal with another soulless monster.¡± Master followed up with, sending more shivers of terror up my sides. Another? ¡°Always a pain to deal with.¡±


    Truly, a long life has its own journey.


    ¡°We can fix the rest of the body but the arm is a problem. We can¡¯t naturally heal it but immediately fixing it might lock your body back into a prior state, permanently reducing your essence. It could hamper you for the rest of your life, with even odds of even lowering your potential at this early stage of development. It¡¯d be like removing a child¡¯s eyes at birth. Even if they¡¯re healed in adulthood, it¡¯s never the same.¡±


    Why did he sound like was speaking from experience? Master¡¯s face was stormy now, mind clearly spinning, scaring me. I¡¯d never seen him like this, I¡¯d never heard him talk like this, I¡¯d never seen him stare at me so intensely. It was like everything I knew about the man was wrong. The fact that he was that serious about my health, after nearly killing me by causing all these issues, was not lost on me. He¡¯d done this to me, sent me there, and only now was he worried about me? Truly, master remained an enigma.


    It¡¯d be touching, if I wasn¡¯t still furious and also wasn¡¯t scared as hell. A permanent reduction to my potential?! If that happened, I might never beat Vega. I needed that potential, it was the whole reason Master agreed to train me in the first place. It was the basis for our¡­ working relationship. If I didn¡¯t have enough potential to succeed, what would be the point of my life? How would I beat Vega then? If it was like that¡­ it might be better to just lose the arm for good.


    I was steeling my heart, ready to accept the loss, when master sighed and turned away from the screens, looking at me.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to rebuild your arm bit by bit. Along with all your other problems. We¡¯ll need to do it outside of pure bodily healing. Think of it like a broken plate. The healing tank can undo the damage, but we can¡¯t do that, or it¡¯ll cripple you. It would also mean you could never use a healing tank in the future. We need to go the other way. We need to put the pieces of the plate back together and then, metaphorically, use nanomachines to make new plate in between the cracks till the plate is whole again. It¡¯s about a million times harder. It¡¯s going to take months.¡±


    My heart relaxed immediately and a smile lit up on my face. Months? I could handle months. That was fine, better than fine! In only a few months, I¡¯d be fully healed then. I¡¯d have my arm, my hand, and maybe even my power level restored! This was great news!


    So why did Master look so unhappy?


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    ¡°Kid, do you think this is going to be so easy on us?¡± He guffawed. ¡°Maybe for you. This is technology no one has because there¡¯s no point. The nanomachines might not even be metaphorical; they might be necessary to do this kind of hyper precision work. And it all has to be perfect and distinctly you or your essence isn¡¯t going to connect with it. You can¡¯t simply slap on a new limb and call it a day. It doesn¡¯t work like that. It¡¯s going to be experimental, risky, and it has to be done perfectly the first time, with no problems, or you might die. You don¡¯t want to see what a body trying to connect to a half finished arm that¡¯s only ¡®mostly¡¯ you is like. I¡¯d seen that happen with someone¡¯s leg once.¡±


    ¡°It exploded.¡±


    Oh.


    ¡°Course, this is only going to suck for me I guess.¡± Master¡¯s expression slowly pulled back, falling back into his normal nonchalance. As if everything was equivalent to the weather passing by. Which was, I realized, even more scary. The last time I¡¯d seen him go fully like that, he¡¯d sent me down into the sewers for six months and I¡¯d nearly died over a dozen times. His words didn¡¯t inspire any sort of confidence either. What did he mean by that?


    ¡°No use having you awake for this.¡±


    What?


    He clicked a few buttons on the screen and the healing fluid around me began to change, feeling¡­ different. Calmer. More peaceful. I was starting to relax, which sent a spike of worry in my brain. I tried to shake it off but it was like I was being lulled to sleep. So¡­ peaceful. So nice. I just wanted¡­ to sleep.


    No!


    I stared, wide eyed, barely keeping them open as Master simply looked at me, arms behind his back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll either work and you¡¯ll be good as new or you¡¯ll die in the process. See you in a few months. Well, you awake at least.¡±


    You bastard, don¡¯t do this to me! I don¡¯t want to take that gamble! I can be fine without the arm, really! Don¡¯t make me fall asleep without knowing if I¡¯m even going to wake up! My fist went forward but it was literally moving through water. It barely touched the glass and my whole body felt so calm. I just wanted to¡­ sleep¡­


    ¡°Goodnight Mutai. Maybe see ya later.¡± Master said.


    I took a page out of Ragual¡¯s book and gave Master the middle finger before the tiredness and peace and calm overwhelmed me.


    My eyes closed and then darkness took me.


    *****


    ¡°Five more minutes¡­¡±


    Slowly, begrudgingly, I opened my eyes. I leaned up, stretching. Mom would want me to make breakfast today. I blocked the light trying to hit me in the eyes with my left hand and-


    My left hand.


    Memories like a torrent slammed into me and my eyes shot open. My arm, my arm was back! I had a left arm again. And that wasn¡¯t all! My right hand, my right hand was healed! I squeezed them both into fists and tears nearly came out my eyes. How long had it been since I¡¯d actually been able to feel either of them? Getting used to missing a limb and a hand had felt like a nightmare. And now it was like it was all gone. Actually¡­ not just gone.


    I felt good.


    Better than I ever had in fact. Better than before the sewers, before when I¡¯d first broken through. I felt great! I shot to my feet, unable to stay still. Laughter burst out of me. I felt amazing! I looked down at my body, smiling. I was, so much stronger now! I felt like I could-


    I didn¡¯t think, I simply tried and flipped head over heels, landing on my feet.


    I could do a backflip!


    Hahaha! This is amazing!


    I looked up and-


    [10]


    What. What? What?! How?! WHAT! How could I, wasn¡¯t I only level [6]? What happened?! How could, how can I be this strong?! What is going on?!


    I heard a knock and my head snapped towards a¡­ door? What? I looked behind me and saw a bed. A proper bed. Since when did I sleep on beds? Even Ragual¡¯s bed had been a bit weird and different but this was just a mostly normal bed. What?


    Belatedly, only now did I realize my surroundings. I had seen this type of room before, in TV shows. Wasn¡¯t this¡­ was I in a hospital? The walls were white, the bed was a bit strange in design, and there seemed to be some basic medical equipment around me.


    The knock at the door came again. My mind blanked. Someone knocking on a door. That meant¡­ they wanted to be let in? When¡­ when did that happen? No, when did that become so bizarre? I was stumped. I was supposed to, do something here right?


    ¡°Uhh¡­ come, come in?¡±


    The door opened and a green skinned woman with blue hair in the form of a ponytail walked in. She had three eyes, one in the middle of her forehead, and was holding a clipboard and wearing a doctor¡¯s coat.


    ¡°Hello.¡± She said, her voice like silk somehow. ¡°Mr. Mutai, no last name correct? I am Dr. Sarvenall. I am your appointed physician. Tell me, how are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Uh. Great doctor. I don¡¯t really¡­ know what¡¯s, going on?¡±


    ¡°You were under intensive care for the last few months. For reasons I am not and was made clear I should not, be fully aware of, you were to take a roundabout and incredibly risky form of healing. I have monitored your vitals and recovery every step of the way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, thank you?¡±


    She smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s my job Mr. Mutai. Now, you should be back at full health but whether that¡¯s true or not is still to be seen. Would you mind doing a physical and a few other tests to make sure you¡¯ve fully recovered?¡±


    ¡°Of course doctor, whatever you need.¡±


    ¡°Then, for starters, would you mind putting on some clothes?¡±


    Her smile was professional but as I looked down and realized that I was completely naked, I felt my cheeks go red. Why was I naked?! Why am I only realizing it now? Wasn¡¯t I supposed to get a gown thing?!


    Shamefully, I noticed at my feet where I did have a gown. I¡¯d torn it off of me when I¡¯d woken up somehow.


    ¡°You can find clothes in the bathroom.¡± My doctor said, pointing, still with a professional smile on her face.


    I practically dove into there, embarrassment coloring me.


    She¡¯d seen everything.


    I was never going to live this down!


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too concerned.¡± Dr. Sarvenall¡¯s voice called out from beyond the door. ¡°I have had to see you in many different states over these past few months, don¡¯t feel the need to feel embarrassed.¡±


    My body shook from the pure mortification.


    Master¡­ I¡¯m going to blame you for this one. The next time I see you, I¡¯m definitely going to punch you!

 Chapter 33: A Return To Training

    Master rubbed his cheek, mostly in confusion more than any kind of pain.


    I stretched, smiling, feeling strange wearing jeans and a white T-shirt. Even the socks and shoes I had felt weird. It¡¯d been a long time since I¡¯d worn normal clothes at all.


    ¡°Brat, you¡¯re turning into a real asshole, you know that? I spent three months spending money like water to put you back together, even inventing four new types of methods to use Ki to help keep you together, and the first thing you do when you see me is punch me?¡±


    ¡°And yet, you somehow still deserve it.¡± I said.


    Master grumbled.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, get stronger till you don¡¯t need my help.¡±


    Now that was a sentiment I could get behind. I was grateful to Master¡­ and also wanted to punch him in a way that he actually could feel. But I needed more strength. Speaking of, having finally escaped the horror known as a physical, I had some questions for Master as we made our way onto the streets below.


    ¡°Master¡­ my power level¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can sense it. You¡¯re now power level ten right?¡±


    ¡°Sense it?¡±


    ¡°Ignore that. Focus.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I am. I feel¡­ so much stronger than I¡¯d thought I¡¯d feel. Wait no, why and how am I even this strong?! I was at power level [7] before. The recovery¡­ it should have only restored my power level right?¡±


    Mastered hummed to himself, mulling over his words.


    ¡°Did you know there are medicines that can increase your power level?¡±


    I froze. What?


    He nodded at my expression.


    ¡°Yup. And unlike the usual external methods of growth, they aren¡¯t all terrible. Only most. The permanent ones are almost all disastrous but temporary ones are fine in moderation. But these aren¡¯t hard rules. The reason these, sacrificial rituals, and certain other sources can make others stronger is because they improve the base. Power level is your essence in effect, the combination of your body, mind, and soul being put to work.¡±


    I frowned at that.


    ¡°Wait. Does that mean if I get smarter¡­ my power level would go up?¡±


    Was the path to true strength really to just¡­ sit and learn?


    ¡°Ah, no. Mind in more of a, hardware sense. Like a sentient psychic plague might increase it¡¯s power level by taking over people and growing itself, literally. On the soul side, a ghost might get stronger by eating the energy of people it kills.¡±


    ¡°Psychic¡­plague? Wait, ghosts are real?!¡±


    ¡°Ehhh, it¡¯s complicated. Focus. Medicine can improve the body at base but it can only go so far. Even medicine beyond your understanding would be difficult and usually have severe drawbacks. My point is that while your body was being rebuilt, it kept improving.¡±


    The way he said that¡­


    ¡°Was it¡­ not supposed to?¡±


    ¡°Your mind and soul were past your body. The first is more shocking than the second but can at least be explained. A higher power level increases your mind in various ways. Reaction speed, perception, ability to take in and put out information. It doesn¡¯t make you ¡®smarter¡¯ but if you¡¯re stupid, it¡¯ll make you stupid faster. You probably pushed it beyond its limits down there while on the knife edge. Your soul¡­ there are a few benefits to pushing beyond what should be allowed, using Ki early, and damaging it, it seems.¡±


    Once again, I was grateful to Master. He hardly ever hid any information and was always willing to explain fully so long as you asked. Not to mention, he was an absolute wealth of information. But still¡­


    ¡°My soul-¡±


    ¡°Nope. Don¡¯t worry about that. Not even a little bit.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Your soul is fine, they get hurt, but they can never be permanently hurt or destroyed. Don¡¯t Mutai. Don¡¯t think about them, don¡¯t ask about them. Never.¡±


    His words were deathly serious as he stared into my soul- Eyes. As he stared into my eyes.


    ¡°...Can I know why?¡±


    ¡°Trust me Mutai. Even knowing you have one and they exist is too much burden right now. This is serious.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t considered anything like that in¡­ ever. My parents hardly said anything about theology while I was growing up, mostly just shrugging. I mean¡­ I knew people had souls. I¡¯d seen them leave. I didn¡¯t know where they went or what happened after death despite a hundred and one people saying one thing or the other. Most said there was at least a good and a bad place, called heaven and hell, but that was the only thing anyone seemed to be able to agree on at all. The idea of not believing people had souls¡­ it just felt¡­ obvious to me that they existed. Why would anyone think they didn¡¯t? Wait, how did I know they did? It was-


    ¡°Nope. Mutai, focus.¡± Master said, cutting off my train of thought. ¡°Back to the point. Medicine can permanently improve you. The only reason it did was because your body just kept taking to it like a sponge. Which is a moderate problem. Your body is way too strong for you right now. You grew into it naturally at least but you¡¯re currently pushing against a boundary.¡±


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    I took a deep breath. I could feel it, the boundary he was talking about. How could I not? I had lived twenty plus years feeling it and after less than a year, it¡¯d returned. A wall. It felt so strange, to be at another one. To be so strong at all really. I could physically feel the wall which made me feel¡­ horrified and complicated. It was only by reaching another I could really understand. It was a barrier but the barrier was, almost thin. I felt like I could punch through it if I just really tried. Like a weight around me. Comparing it to how I felt before and my first natural wall¡­


    If this wall felt like hard glass, the other had been reinforced Titanium. It was a miracle I¡¯d ever broken it.


    I also could tell what Master meant about ¡®too strong¡¯. My body moved too weird, too fast, too, everything. My footsteps stomped too hard, I felt lighter than air as my legs propelled me, my arms felt like they could shatter bone and maybe even rock, I felt like I¡¯d become a monster of power.


    It was glorious, it was intoxicating, and it was overwhelming.


    ¡°So¡­ what now Master?¡±


    He looked at me, an eyebrow raised.


    ¡°Training of course.¡±


    *****


    ¡°Punch it.¡±


    How strange, to be back here after all this time. Not just in the dojo, not just in a healing room, but after around nine months, almost a year, I was back here in this training room in front of this same punching bag. And in those nine months, I¡¯d been reborn.


    Last time I was here, I was around power level [3], as strong as a weak teenager.


    Now? I was power level [10]. It still didn¡¯t feel real. In a way, amusingly, I was at the peak of a ¡®normal¡¯ person. Any stronger, and I¡¯d meet the bare minimum power requirements for being a real warrior. At least, according to how and what people believed and thought.


    I smiled. I may not have the power to be instantly recognizable but I¡¯d fought and killed and won and survived. I had already become a real warrior. Now, it was just a matter of growing stronger. Strong enough to beat all four of those turtles alone. Strong enough to survive those damn sewers and chain wraiths. Strong enough to easily defeat that elemental. And finally, strong enough to beat Vega.


    I was finally ready to grow some more.


    I leaned back and I punched.


    My fist flew forward, shocking me with its speed and strength. I could feel it. Before I could even think about that further, as the wind whistled in my ears from my own punch, it hit the bag. And the bag went flying as if it was made of cheap powder, swinging on the chain, and hitting the ceiling, only for the chain to snap.


    It fell, spilling open, sand raining down.


    I stared, wide eyed in shock, at how far I¡¯d come. At how far I had to go. I stared at my fist, still extended, still in the motion of punching. I¡¯d¡­ I¡¯d come so far. There was a time my relentless punches wailed on this thing for weeks and it barely moved. Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of punches hit it without effect. And now? A single one destroyed it.


    I swallowed, my emotions trying to choke me, as I felt my eyes water.


    I had grown. I was, I had become more than I once was.


    ¡°Welp.¡± Master spoke up, annoyance in his voice. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re going to need tougher equipment if you¡¯re going to destroy my stuff. You know I have to clean this up right? Bah. Whatever. Anyway, I know just where to go to keep you away from my crap.¡±


    I looked over, my eyes still watery, my heart still beating like a drum.


    ¡°Where, master?¡±


    ¡°The Gym.¡±


    *****


    Walking the streets again so soon, I couldn¡¯t help but continue to stare at my fist.


    ¡°Keep staring all you want, it¡¯s not going to whisper you sweet nothings.¡±


    I looked over to Master, who had a bored expression on his face.


    ¡°Master, how can I¡­ how could I possibly have done that?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s so surprising? Just look up or actually use your Vambrace. Pretty sure you¡¯re at [10] after all.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ even still¡­¡±


    ¡°Like I said, you¡¯re too strong, too fast. A warrior should never be shocked by their own strength. Well, in battle. Getting stronger sometimes does cause these annoying moments where you don¡¯t know how to hold back and, apparently, destroy my equipment.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry.¡±


    Master waved me away.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you can try destroying someone else¡¯s soon. Not that you¡¯ll be able, the punching bags won¡¯t be crap they had lying around like mine was.¡±


    Master had said we were going to the gym and I had tried to reason that out. I didn¡¯t really know what I was expecting. Maybe a more personalized area he used to train himself or something? Another Dojo he named The Gym? Somehow, what I didn¡¯t expect was a massive public Gym called ¡®Cosmic Fitness¡¯.


    ¡°Master¡­ when you said a gym¡­ did you really just mean a gym?¡±


    ¡°Well duh, of course I did. What else could I have possibly meant?¡±


    ¡°Am I¡­ really going to be trained here?¡± I asked, unsure.


    Master looked at me, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°What, you think you¡¯re too good to train around others? Has your arrogance grown that far?¡±


    ¡°No! No, that¡¯s not it, it¡¯s just¡­ I thought all my training would be done at the Dojo so¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re a fool or you expect me to be one. I don¡¯t wanna pay for a treadmill or a stairmaster and we¡¯re going to use those and many other machines. Remember, we¡¯re not trying to make you ¡®stronger¡¯ right now. Don¡¯t worry about that stupid number above your head. We¡¯re trying to refamiliarize yourself with your own body. Strength will come on its own as you train. Do you remember the one thing you need to do?¡±


    He looked at me and I felt the cold steel of his Aura pressing down on me. I stared back into those empty eyes and remembered exactly what I needed to do. Now, before, and forevermore.


    ¡°My best.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t you ever forget it. It¡¯s the only way you¡¯ll ever complete any of your goals.¡±


    Master walked forward through the doors and I took a second to take a deep breath. Today was going to be hard and so was the next and the day after that and the day after that. It was going to be a harsh workout again, on par with breaking my body against that stupid bag. Except it wouldn¡¯t be so simple and straightforward this time.


    I smiled.


    I walked in through the doors, more than ready for that.


    I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.

 Chapter 34: The Gym

    Walking into the gym felt surreal.


    There was a wide open area with a bunch of treadmills where I could see a variety of people on them. A Hippo man, a Rhino woman, and a few normal humans. I blinked in shock when I saw a wind elemental in the far corner lifting weights somehow. Non-physical humanoids weren¡¯t exactly common in Vega. I¡¯d at least never seen any of them before.


    There were a few hallways that seemed to go to other parts of the gym and stairs that led to a second floor on the side as well. Observing some of the gym goers, I felt my mind struggle with what I was seeing. Of the people here, many of them were¡­ below my power level. I hadn¡¯t noticed it on our walk here but¡­ seeing a bunch of people below [10] was¡­ I¡¯d never been one of the stronger people in the room. My brain and body felt light in a way they hadn¡¯t before. Like what I was seeing wasn¡¯t real.


    And it wasn¡¯t even the only reality breaking element to it all.


    [20] A wolf man, sprinting down a treadmill almost faster than I could see. The treadmill was nearly silent despite how fast it was moving. His legs were an utter blur to me and yet he was almost as silent as the grave.


    [15] A normal human, curling dumbbells. Looking at the weight on the side¡­ each was over 700 pounds! And he only looked moderately strained doing it! Shivers ran up my body, remembering the last time I¡¯d seen that power level. That man, more than any other, felt like pure death to me despite him just¡­ working out. Hell, he didn¡¯t even look like a fighter!


    I nearly smacked myself, when would I learn? Looks mean nothing. He could be a cold blooded killer for all I knew. I¡¯d nearly died to people wearing bear onesies.


    [??] A long legged, four armed woman. Her skin the color of obsidian, her eyes like literal red gems. She was getting a drink from the water fountain.


    [18] What looked like a¡­ sentient doll? It was, somehow, bench pressing an impressive amount of weight in the back corner while a tiger woman with impressive abs spotted her.


    All of them, were people that could kill me. At [10] the ten percent rule fully started to come into play upwards. A [12] would be difficult for me. A [15] or higher? I¡¯d be dead. And that was just power level alone. Experience, trickery, tactics, abilities¡­ an experienced level [7] might kill me as I was.


    I blinked in shock. One of the first things I had done the moment I¡¯d walked in¡­ was assess who I could kill and who could kill me. That felt almost¡­ disquieting. But how could I not? It felt like a pressure unlike any other. As if I was surrounded by those alligators or those chain wraiths again. It felt hard to breathe. Parts of me wanted to scurry away, to be silent, to hide in the dark and wait for the right moment to strike-


    A hand hit my chest. I looked down to see it was Master¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Oi. Focus. I¡¯ve seen those eyes, I know that look. Good. Your trip into the sewers wasn¡¯t for nothing. They can kill you Mutai. A lot of people can kill you Mutai.¡± He scratched his stubble. ¡°You¡¯re really not that strong actually. Use it as fuel to grow stronger.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I know. I will.¡±


    ¡°Good, now come on. We gotta register.¡±


    *****


    Five minutes later and awkwardly watching Master flirt with an honest to god Robot, with literal abs of steel and other certain large assets, we were finally registered.


    ¡°Really Master? Robots?¡±


    ¡°We all have our interests. And it¡¯s Androids.¡±


    I stared, confused.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±


    ¡°A robot will laugh if you call them an android. An android will kill you. Probably should research more cultures on Booble when you have the time. Hate to have you die on me from something so stupid.¡±


    I took that lesson to heart. Honestly, I should¡¯ve done so far earlier. I¡¯d learned early on through trial and error in my years here and that had been¡­ rough. I might still have that scar from that one woman¡­


    ¡°Alright, start on the treadmill.¡±


    I did so, walking onto it. The feeling of surrealness was dying down now. I was here to train, to get stronger. Who was around me, what I was doing, it didn¡¯t matter so much, so long as I gave it my best. I did however frown and furrow my brow heavily at all the buttons and screens on the machine.


    ¡°Master¡­ I have no idea how to work this thing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s to be expected. Push start, use the arrows to select ¡®personal best¡¯, and set the time for an hour.¡±


    I did so and then I began to walk. It was slow and aggravating. I wanted to move more or less but it was like every step threatened to either launch me too far forward or not be enough to stay on.


    ¡°Like I said,¡± Master said. ¡°Too strong too fast. Look at that annoyance on your face just from walking at a steady pace.¡±


    It just felt so¡­ slow. But I had to basically relearn everything I could do from the ground up.


    Slowly, it started to get faster and if I had any doubts about Master''s words, they were blown away. Jogging was hellish. I nearly rammed the end of the treadmill and running steadily or consistently almost seemed impossible. It was like I kept putting in too little or too much. With great effort, I found my gait becoming steady.


    Only when I did, did the treadmill seem to pick up in speed. I raised my eyebrow at that. Technology could be surprising sometimes.


    Jogging became a light run and strangely, this one felt easier to handle. Which proved to be a mistake. The treadmill clearly only sped up when I was actually running steadily, a feature of the ¡®personal best¡¯ setting. Presumably when it became an all out sprint, there would be no way to stay steady and it¡¯d stop increasing. Well, probably? And yet despite that, it took over twice as long for it to speed up again. Despite how it felt¡­ my light run must¡¯ve been completely wrong.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Now I was feeling it a little, my heart rate speeding up. I hadn¡¯t run in¡­ I hadn¡¯t run since I had lived on my island and it had never been this fast. Even the jog from before was probably faster than I¡¯d ever been able to move at my top speed. It felt incredible but was dulled a little. I¡¯d run faster than this when I¡¯d had to escape. Here, now, in a peaceful setting, I could admire it but it wasn¡¯t lost on me why speed was important.


    Those thoughts left as the treadmill got faster and faster. My feet were slamming into the speeding thing, launching me forward without me ever actually moving forward. It was incredible! And my speed! I felt like I was flying! If I was on solid, flat ground, how fast could I be moving? And my heart, it, it started to pound into my ears.


    Breath heavy, heart racing, blood pounding, sweat beginning to pour down. I felt the burn in my legs and the pumping of blood through my heart. I could hear my own breathing, like a steam engine or valve constantly blowing. I needed air. Why, why was this so hard?


    ¡°Try to steady your breathing.¡± Words came whispering by, flowing into my ears.


    I tried, I did, and I nearly fell over in the process. I was going so fast. My body felt so heavy I¡­ why was this so intense? My heart¡­ my heart! Fuck. Time continued but I felt like a zombie, I needed, I wanted to- damn it. I knew this wouldn¡¯t be easy but what was this?!


    Time continued on and on and on and on. It felt like a nightmare. My body was drenched in sweat, my shirt stuck to me, and my chest heaved for air like I was suffocating.


    Finally, as if by the grace of a god, the demon machine I was on began to finally slow down. By the time it had gotten to a light walk, my feet hurt and I was still panting, but I felt better. And tired.


    ¡°What,¡± I said between breaths of air. ¡°What was that?¡±


    I looked to Master, who looked at me strangely with what could only be a cruel smile on his face. I felt my racing heart nearly skip a beat at that one. What an awful expression. One I¡¯d never seen on his face before.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never run before have you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I said. ¡°I- I have. Before.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Before when? Before¡­ when you were running for your life? That doesn¡¯t quite count. Before you broke through your first wall? That absolutely doesn¡¯t count. You¡¯ve never felt what it¡¯s like to have to run for hours on end, keeping your heart rate above a certain level. It truly¡­ sucks. It¡¯s awful. I am so glad I get to introduce you to such an amazing experience.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± I said, barely able to breathe. ¡°This is one of those shared misery things, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. Cardio has made even the strongest person run in terror before. And you¡¯ll be doing this daily.¡±


    My aching heart nearly shattered. This? Every day?


    Renewed horror lit up inside me. The path to strength was truly built with blood, sweat, and tears.


    ¡°Now go towel off and get a drink. We still have a lot of different machines to try today.¡±


    *****


    After a quick shower, stretches, some water, and marveling at a machine that somehow instantly washed and dried my clothes, I was ready to continue.


    For the next machine, it wasn¡¯t a machine at all. Simply bars and weights. We made our way over to where all the dumbbells and barbells were in the back of the gym.


    ¡°Alright, there¡¯s a free rack.¡± Master said. ¡°Go lay down and we¡¯ll find your maximum and put you through your paces.¡±


    I lay down on the bench, the bar hovering over me. I was struck with a strange sense of happiness. Running may have sucked¡­ but this wasn¡¯t exactly the first time I¡¯d been in a gym. Not one like this though. And back then, the whole feeling had been different. And useless. I hadn¡¯t even been able to lift anything. Not a single dumbbell, not the bar, and even running normally practically failed, let alone on a treadmill. Now¡­


    I grabbed the bar and raised it. It was lighter than a feather.


    A wide smile sprouted across my face.


    ¡°Put the bar back, I haven¡¯t even added any weight yet.¡± Master said.


    I did so and my eyes widened in shock at some of the weights he was putting on. I didn¡¯t catch the number but they were huge.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Master?¡±


    ¡°Shut up and do as I say.¡±


    I closed my mouth, waiting to see what kind of trick this was.


    Finally, he stopped when he¡¯d put twelve massive weights on each side.


    ¡°Lift it.¡±


    I stared at Master in shock. Lift this?! There¡¯s no way I could lift this! Hell, I couldn¡¯t lift half of this!


    Master stared at me, his eyes going hard and cold. I suppressed any complaints. It was hard to complain when it looked like doing so would get me killed. I stared back at the bar and the massive amount of weight on it. How much even was this?


    ¡°Don¡¯t stare at it. Lift it.¡±


    Feeling like a kicked dog, I grabbed the bar. There was no way I could lift this much. Maybe that was the point? I pushed and felt my arms strain and strain. It felt like I was trying to lift a mountain! I grit my teeth and pushed as hard as I could, trying to bend my arms upwards. To my utter shock I started to feel¡­ give?


    With renewed vigor I pushed with everything I had.


    Slowly, achingly, with shaking arms, I felt the weight go up and up and up. Like a miracle out of some sort of legend¡­ I lifted it.


    And then nearly dropped it on top of me. Master grabbed it as my arms flopped down.


    My arms felt like jelly. That was¡­ how could I even do that?! That.. was that how strong I was? What¡­ what on Vega? With that much strength¡­ no wonder I destroyed the punching bag. Wait, was that how strong the turtles were? How on Vega did we ever beat four of them? Did my arrogance know no bounds? We should¡¯ve died and been left for dead for the rats to eat.


    A cold chill of thankfulness went through me. We had survived and I¡¯d never forget to take my time and be cautious again. I thought I¡¯d learnt that lesson but being at their strength¡­ it put it all into a whole new perspective.


    ¡°Strange, I¡¯d thought you¡¯d be ecstatic.¡±


    ¡°This power¡­ how can it even be possible Master?¡±


    He snorted.


    ¡°You¡¯ve barely begun your journey Mutai. Currently, your maximum running speed is about 27 miles per hour. Your maximum lift is 1400 pounds. These are good numbers¡­ for your power level.¡±


    He curled the entire weight I had struggled with, with one arm. He didn¡¯t even look phased by it.


    I stared in shock and amazement.


    ¡°Welcome to planet Vega.¡±

 Chapter 35: Training, Training, and more Training!

    By the time we stumbled out, well I stumbled out and Master briskly walked, I knew two things for certain.


    The stairmaster was the most evil creation people had ever devised.


    And exactly what it felt like to be beaten raw.


    Every single muscle, in every single piece of my body, was sore. It was like the time I¡¯d broken through my wall but, barely, less awful. Except now, that I had to walk, it was getting unbearable. Master hadn¡¯t been satisfied by simply pushing my muscles, he¡¯d made me go till I felt like they were tearing apart. Despite what he¡¯d said earlier today, we were definitely not going ¡®easy¡¯ and ¡®just getting a baseline for your strength¡¯. Or, at least if we were, I might actually die if the training got any harder.


    ¡°Stop whining.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even say anything!¡±


    ¡°I can see the look on your face. You look so dissatisfied. All we did was an hour on each different workout.¡±


    An hour of hell each time¡­ The stairmaster had been the last one and my legs felt like jelly. Work out, get some water, do some stretches, repeat. Running, bench press, dumbbells, leg press machine, the weird thigh crunch thing, a stationary bike, a rowing machine, a few others I couldn¡¯t remember, and finally the horrific stairmaster.


    ¡°You should count yourself so lucky. Back in my day¡­ well¡­ we still had workout machines but they were so weak. Past [10] and they practically shattered. We had to punch and carry harder and harder rocks and metals. It was a nightmare just trying to find ways to workout. I¡¯d have killed for what you have today.¡±


    ¡°Sorry Master¡­¡±


    Despite feeling like beef jerky and pounded meat, the results had been shocking. It was hard to tell on certain machines, like the treadmill. But seeing an unbelievable amount of weight being lifted above me was incredible. I¡¯d have even mistakenly started to believe I was strong if I didn¡¯t see a doll a tenth my size lifting a metal that was weighed in tons. And it was by far, not the strongest person there. No, that had been master. But besides him, there¡¯d been a ton of other gym goers and even a few trainers that were monstrously strong. I saw one lift ten tons and another move so fast on the treadmill that they were a literal blur.


    These machines were incredible, my strength was incredible, all of the people there were incredible. It wasn¡¯t that long ago that power level [5] felt like a distant dream, a goal unlike any other. Hell, I could remember being shocked and excited over a .01 increase and feeling like I was a god afterwards. How ridiculous.


    Master, as he so often annoyingly was, had been right. My journey had only just begun.


    ¡°So Master.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Same thing tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. That was only to see where you¡¯re at. Full body workouts are great, the pinnacle of ways to improve, but it¡¯s actually best to focus on your weak areas and only keep up with the others right now. Your strength, for example, is fine if a little lacking.¡±


    I felt like those words were insane but alright.


    ¡°Your speed is fine¡­ but your endurance is crap. A level [10] shouldn¡¯t be getting tired like that. We also need to do tests to start improving your durability but a few weeks of muscle destruction and repair should be fine in the short term. I was worried that using the healing tank would slow down your natural regeneration, I¡¯ve seen it happen before, but you seem to be taking to it like a fish to water. If anything, your body heals faster than normal for your power level.¡±


    ¡°Does healing speed also go up with power level?¡±


    I¡¯d never heard of that.


    ¡°Ehhh, kinda? The things that actually damage you will cause a similar level of harm as if you were the relevant power level but overall, yes. The time gets shorter and the injuries get easier to survive themselves. But even at the peak, a broken arm will still take at least a few weeks to naturally heal.¡±


    ¡°Wait, master, you didn¡¯t say what specifically we were going to be doing different tomorrow.¡±


    He turned to me and a shiver ran up my spine. Slowly, a horrifically cruel smile not unlike those in my deepest nightmares surfaced.


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    ¡°Cardio.¡±


    *****


    I hate you master. I hate you so much. I hate the way that you walk, I hate the way that you talk, I hate every single tiniest piece of you. You¡¯re¡­ almost worse than Vega. Almost. You can die. Every single piece of your soul can be cast down to the most fiery pits of hell. They can burn and burn and b-


    ¡°Faster.¡±


    ¡°Go¡­ fuck¡­ yourself.¡±


    ¡°Your heart rate needs to be higher. Don¡¯t you dare have it drop below 180.¡±


    ¡°How¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t, couldn¡¯t even speak anymore. My body was drenched in sweat, my clothes were practically stuck to me, and my heart felt like it was going to explode. And Master just stood there, saying absolute pieces of crap, like a fortune cookie from hell. Faster? How the hell could I go faster? I just wanted to die. Death would be easier. Oh god, I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. Why, why did the gods make such torture devices?! Why?!


    I realized how much I missed tedium, how much I missed the punching bags. They were so nice, so gentle, so caring. Oh, how I miss you. You were so good to me. Not like this demon machine that threatens to kill me. No, no, death would be a mercy. My legs hurt but it¡¯s nothing compared to the feeling of my heart pumping so hard, so fast, like it was going to explode into a million pieces. The way the blood practically shot through my whole body, the way I was drenched in my own fluid and still felt so utterly god damn hot. The heat of my blood coursing, radiating through me, and all back through my heart and back through my body and, oh god.


    I felt like I was going to collapse.


    My breath was ragged, destroyed, pieced together dying pants than anything resembling a respiratory system. Tears threatened to leave my eyes but there wasn¡¯t enough liquid in my body. My legs threatened to give out from under me and every moment they didn¡¯t was a personal affront to me. Why body, how could you betray me like this?


    I didn¡¯t even notice the treadmill slowing or stopping, only when I was leaning on it like a dying beached whale did I realize my pain was theoretically over. Theoretically because even stopped, it did nothing to make my body better. My sides hurt, like they were tearing apart. My breath tried to come easier but it failed. My head felt so fucking hot, like I¡¯d walked out of a sauna. And my heart and legs were practically trying to kill themselves, and me, through the effort of pain.


    Master came close by, and with all my strength, I gave him the middle finger.


    ¡°Keep up that spirit, you¡¯re going to need it. Go towel off, drink a lot of water, and use the bathroom. You¡¯re not going to feel like you need to, but you do and you will. After that, take a shower, do some stretches, and come right back out here. If you¡¯re not back within thirty minutes, I¡¯ll assume you passed out and drag you back out here myself.¡±


    Master¡­ was truly a demon.


    Thirty minutes later, forcefully dragged out of the shower by master and barely given a pair of underwear to wear, he forced me onto the bench for an hour.


    Just as my body was starting to feel better and my embarrassment over wearing so little was starting to subside just a bit¡­


    Master forced me on the stairmaster for the rest of the day.


    ¡°I hate you. I hate you so much.¡±


    Those words were said early, knowing that soon I¡¯d fully embrace hell and be unable to.


    If the treadmill was an evil torture device and Master a demon, then the Stairmaster was a Monstrous Devil only on par with Vega himself.


    It broke me, my legs feeling the absolute bloody torture. I was pretty sure I was bleeding from¡­ everywhere. I wasn¡¯t, but it sure felt that way. Tripping wasn¡¯t allowed. The moment I tried, the stairmaster itself somehow bent in a way I didn¡¯t know was possible to keep me upright. Curse you, you bastard of a machine. Technology was evil. I had been right all along.


    It hit me even farther than the treadmill did, somehow hurting my back. How? How did it even do that?


    I was so tired. So, so so so tired. The world was an empty blur as sounds became muffled and lights grew too bright. I felt like I was going to pass out, yet I never did. I missed those days too. When I was so weak that my body could barely handle an exercise of just punching without passing out. Oh, where had the days gone?


    Finally, we stopped. It took every ounce of my willpower just to stay standing.


    Master was nearby with-


    ¡°No.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow, needles in his hand.


    ¡°I know you aren¡¯t scared of needles. We need to keep up your nutrition and-¡±


    I held up a hand and simply recovered for¡­ I don¡¯t know. At least fifteen minutes, before I could finally talk again.


    Then I raised my head and stared into this old bastard¡¯s head.


    ¡°There is no way¡­ I¡¯m ever giving up good food again. Yesterday was an exception. If you¡¯re going to work me like a dog, you can at least feed me breakfast, lunch, and dinner.¡±


    I held my gaze. My eyes like hard tired rocks into his uncaring, yet slightly annoyed, face.


    ¡°Ugh. Fine. But you¡¯re still taking injections, food is too unspecific. Your body will never grow to be its best without precise nutrition.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. When¡¯s lunch?¡±


    Master pulled up his sleeve and I saw something new. For the first time, I saw and realized that Master wore a Vambrace of his own. It just looked¡­ alien. It was metal, it was square, but something about it just looked¡­ wrong. Or at least, different. Had he always had that? Where? When? How had I missed that all this time?


    ¡°Hmm. Might as well be right now. How about sandwiches?¡±


    ¡°That sounds great.¡±


    ¡°Afterwards, it¡¯s right back to training. Try not to throw up.¡±


    I grimaced. This devil!


    Cardio was going to be the death of me.

 Chapter 36: Vegas Shadow

    The weeks began to pass by and Master¡¯s words proved prophetic. My endurance had noticeably skyrocketed. What used to be torture became¡­ well, easier torture at least. I could at least last longer before my body wanted to cry to death. At least on the treadmill, the Stairmaster remained my biggest enemy, even if I was able to go up it for longer, faster, and easier.


    I looked up.


    [10]


    I¡¯d noticed it for a few days now but despite my endurance definitely increasing, and even my strength and speed noticeably going up a little¡­ my power level hadn¡¯t changed. Well, the big numbers. I was sure the smaller numbers hadn¡¯t changed much, if at all, either because I could still feel that barrier. It felt closer but¡­ not that much closer.


    ¡°Master, why-¡±


    ¡°Going to save you time, I can already see the thoughts rolling through your head. It¡¯s because ability doesn¡¯t mean you can draw it all out. Power level goes up when you go up in strength in some metric. But you¡¯re not. Simply because you can¡¯t use it all, doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t have it. Until you can use all your strength and then increase it, none of your numbers are going to change, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    I frowned harder. My body¡­ still had more it could pull out? I thought I¡¯d adjusted to my new power level already¡­ but clearly I hadn¡¯t.


    ¡°Stop frowning, this happens to everyone. Power level starts going faster later in the higher tiers, sure, but it also means at times you break through farther than you think. Your body can, in a way, outpace itself. Think of it as mini-potential. You can do something, you theoretically have the power to have run for this long and this easily weeks ago, but you personally can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like learning a new limb¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly, especially for you. You jumped four of the major early power levels and slammed into a wall. It¡¯s going to be a bit before you are pushing your true maximums higher.¡±


    I thought about how long I¡¯d been at it. Even if I¡¯d ignored the six months of hell and the three months of rest¡­


    ¡°Am I going fast enough?¡±


    Master raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°To beat Vega.¡±


    Master snorted.


    ¡°Yeah. You are.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re worried about running out of lifespan. Bah. Trust me, you don¡¯t need to worry about that. Even if you didn¡¯t have a way to increase it, you¡¯re perfectly on target to get that strong. Don¡¯t worry about nonsense like that. Just focus on your running.¡±


    I continued on the treadmill for a bit, my heart rate high but my breathing at least steady.


    ¡°Wait, if I didn¡¯t have a way? What?¡±


    ¡°Come on, you aren¡¯t stupid. Well, I hope so at least. You saw Vega right? All the reports say he looks somewhere around twenty or so, correct? Hell, I¡¯ve seen his poster in this very gym. Yet they also say he¡¯s over a hundred years old. Power level can increase your lifespan.¡±


    I blinked. I did, kinda, know that. I mean, I should have known that. But I had just, never thought about it. Wait, how long was I going to live if-


    ¡°You¡¯re probably going to die today if you don¡¯t get your head out of the clouds and stop thinking about nonsense.¡±


    Master said, a very casual tone in his voice. I destroyed the thoughts and got back to running before I truly pissed him off. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how long my journey would go. How hard I¡¯d have to go. Would it take me a hundred years? Master was old, who knew how old, and yet¡­ he only had three [???]¡¯s above his head. Surely¡­ it wouldn¡¯t take me hundreds of years to be able to beat Vega¡­ right?


    I frowned. Well, I needed power but it wasn¡¯t like I needed to-


    At that exact moment, like a small bomb going off, there was a loud noise near the doors. I turned quickly and I wasn¡¯t the only one. Not all the gym goers here were necessarily fighters, no matter how hard they pushed, but a few were. And I could see it on a few faces as I¡¯d turned. How instantly on alert they were. I found myself in the same boat, memories of being ambushed by rats or a sudden loud noise scaring the shit out of me bubbling up to the surface of my memories. It was like I was suddenly back there, fighting, at death¡¯s door, in the shit and the piss.


    Danger. Danger. Danger.


    My heart thumped solidly and I was trying to look at the enemy, only to meet blazing red eyes.


    I raised my eyebrows. It¡­ probably¡­ wasn¡¯t an enemy? A loud noise alone wasn¡¯t enough to put me in fight mode but¡­


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    Someone had entered the gym and pushed the doors open with pure, unrelenting fury in their eyes. It was unlike any I¡¯d ever seen. Master¡¯s cold hatred was nothing like those burning red eyes. The turtles, the rats, even Ragual or myself, I¡¯d never seen such hot hatred and rage before. It was nearly all encompassing in that man¡¯s soul.


    I pulled back a little, focusing on what I was seeing. A man, young, probably around my age. He wore no shirt, had grey skin, red eyes, and two arms and legs. Short silver hair, black pants, and an absolutely chiseled chest. Like god damn.


    And a look of utter rage and hatred on his face.


    [10]


    My eyebrows raised higher. We had the same power level.


    He had practically rammed the doors, causing them to slam into the walls and create such a loud noise. If they weren¡¯t as strong as they were, he might have even broken them with strength like that but the gym wasn¡¯t made that weak. He had slightly frozen with all the looks at him but it was more so like he was preparing for a fight than anything like nerves. Seeing that no one was going to go out of their way to punch him, he marched himself to the front to check in. It was like a malevolent black aura followed him.


    For some reason though¡­ he seemed so familiar. It was¡­ strange. Where had I¡­ seen him before? My mind spun as I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off him. Where had I seen his looks before? It wasn¡¯t his body, I¡¯d not seen anyone like that in Vega before but that wasn¡¯t surprising. No, but it was, something else. Like I¡¯d seen it all my life but different. But-


    At that moment, words reached me. Whispers and gossip from the surrounding gym goers.


    And they destroyed me.


    ¡®Look at him¡­ another refugee huh?¡¯


    ¡®How many do you think survived this time? I heard it was another solo survivor this time.


    ¡®Again? How many does that make this year?¡¯


    ¡®How should I know? They die so fast early on¡­ and it¡¯s not like Vega or Smile are telling anyone much. They just release them into the city.¡¯


    ¡®Well, it¡¯s how our parents and grandparents got here. Maybe he¡¯ll adapt. But sheesh, that makes it the, what, third? Fourth time this year?¡¯


    ¡®What, are you complaining? That¡¯s way slower than the previous years.¡¯


    ¡®Wait, really?¡¯


    ¡®Duh, do you even pay attention?! Vega usually kills at least three small village communities a year, a big town every five, and a city every ten. But he has been really aggressive the last few years. I heard most didn¡¯t even have any survivors at all¡­


    ¡®It¡¯s a miracle there¡¯s anyone left on this planet¡­¡¯


    Hushed whispers of fear, pity, and sympathy mixed and surrounded me.


    I was looking at me. That man, he was me. He was me from the past. That look of rage, that utter fury, that hatred. It was unique. Now I knew, how everyone had always known I was a refugee. How could you not? When that utter fury was overtaking you.


    But far more than that¡­


    It was like a bomb had gone off inside me. My fists clenched, my eyes shook, and I felt the barrier on my power level shake around.


    ¡®Vega.¡¯


    He was still out there. Killing people. Destroying people. Destroying families, communities, villages. Three a year? A big town every five and even a city every ten? So, so many deaths. So many people killed and murdered and destroyed by one man. By one utter fucking monster.


    So much death. So many killed. He did it again. And again and again and again. How many were going to die? How many were going to be destroyed? How many were going to be tortured and told to come get revenge tauntingly? As if to spit on all their efforts, as if to laugh in their very faces?


    ¡°Mutai?¡±


    Vega¡­ you bastard. You monster. You took them all away. You¡­ I¡¯m going to kill you. I¡¯m going to murder you. I¡¯m going to tear you apart! I¡¯m going to make you regret ever being born! I¡¯m going to, to-


    The rage was like a tsunami! My heartbeat sped up, my blood pumped so hard, and my mind grew hazy but the rage cut through it all. I could feel my breath getting heavy, harder, as if flames were going to come out. He had to die. To be destroyed. I could feel my soul shaking with pure and utter rage. I¡¯m going to kill you! Tear apart your face, rip out your organs, your bones, break you! Break you!


    ¡°Mutai.¡±


    I took a step forward. Words tried to call out to me. I ignored them. They weren¡¯t important, they didn¡¯t matter, they were stupid and useless. I felt the surety of destruction sing through me as I headed to a particular man.


    He turned around fast, practically feeling my eyes boring into him. His own rage nearly sparked and I saw him only barely resist trying to kill me here and now.


    ¡°What the fuck do you want?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill Vega.¡±


    My words seemed to hit him like a cannonball. I didn¡¯t care if it was the right thing to say or what he needed to hear. No, it was, more than that. Seeing him, I could only, I had to say it. I had to scream it. I had to demand it from the world. That creature, that traitor of the world, had to be removed. Had to be destroyed and ripped apart. I could no less scream it in this man¡¯s face than I could stop breathing. I had to. I must.


    His fury only seemed to grow stronger at that.


    ¡°Fuck you! I¡¯m going to kill him!¡±


    I laughed. A dark, harsh, pained laugh. Yeah, yeah master seemed to always be right, that bastard.


    He¡¯d once told me that my desire for power was too distant. That only scars remained but not a burning need. He¡¯d been right but now? Now was different. Just seeing this man¡­


    I have to go farther. Try harder. What the fuck am I doing?


    ¡°I¡¯ll race you to it then.¡±


    He glared at me, hot, harsh, pained. It was so beyond what I could remember feeling but I¡¯d been like that once too. How could I forget my rage? How could I just let it go? I¡¯d been too content, too happy. Every second of every moment that Vega was alive, was more lost people, more people like this man living through the same hell I¡¯d been through. Losing everything, being thrown into the quagmire of pain, having to push harder than anyone just to try to reach the same heights. It was hell, dark and sticky like tar, threatening to pull you under and into the abyss to suffocate you in your own burning hatred.


    The fact that this man hadn¡¯t already attacked me was only because he could see the same look in my eyes. If someone had walked up to me, right after my family had died and told me they¡¯d kill their killer¡­ I¡¯d have gone into a murderous rage.


    But we were kin. I could see it, I could feel it, and so could he.


    I stuck out my hand.


    ¡°Mutai.¡±


    He grasped it, trying to crush it into paste, only burning red remaining in his eyes.


    ¡°Vincent.¡±


    At that moment, I knew, deep in my soul.


    I¡¯d found myself a brother.

 Chapter 37: Vincent

    ¡°If you¡¯re done having your moment and picking up strays, can we get back to work already?¡±


    Master didn¡¯t understand but that was fine. I practically hopped back on the treadmill and waiting for it to get faster and faster was agonizing. But slowly, it increased. And increased.


    And I ran. Harder and harder. Faster. This wasn¡¯t fast enough. How fast was Vega? How quick, to fly over the whole world? I had to be faster. Quicker. Better. I couldn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t lose to him. In anyway. Ever.


    My feet pounded until I felt myself feel like I was flying forward. It wasn¡¯t enough. It wasn¡¯t even kind of enough. I had to be far more than this. I could feel it, my glass like barrier coiling around me, and I broke it. It was in the way. I needed more power and I couldn¡¯t afford to wait around for hundreds of years while countless people suffered and lost their lives. While more people like me were created. Every one of them¡­ was a personal failure. I was sitting here, smiling, relaxing, while that beast destroyed families just like mine. While I let him live.


    I refused to be so passive anymore. Where was the Mutai that tore through the sewers, surviving like crazy? Where was the Mutai, the Warrior, that fought Ragual? Where was the Mutai that trained like an insane monster for weeks just for an increase of .01? Enough playing around, it was time to get serious.


    Thump


    I turned to my right, only to see Vincent going just as hard as me. He glanced my way, snorted, and just kept running. I smiled and felt it then. That I truly wasn¡¯t the only one aiming for that impossible peak. There were others like me, as awful as that was. I couldn¡¯t¡­ let them down. Or myself. Or my family. Vengeance would be mine, no matter how much I had to fight for it.


    As the oxygen pumped through my lungs, the blood rushed through my veins, and I felt my heart skyrocket in speed, I knew it. Deep, deep down into my bones.


    It wasn¡¯t enough.


    Could I beat Vega? No. The Water Elemental? The Alligators? The Chain Wraiths, the truly large rats?


    All no. And yet they weren¡¯t so distant as Vega. They weren¡¯t somewhere in the world. They were right below my feet and at any time master felt like, he could clearly send me right back. What have I been doing these past few weeks, going so leisurely? Was I even trying?


    As my speed increased, as my power level rose, as my body became closer and closer to truly being mine, I realized the answer. I hadn¡¯t. I¡¯d been so damn happy and that wasn¡¯t wrong. That lightness¡­ it was glorious. I wasn¡¯t going to fall into the pit of darkness, doing whatever it took. But seeing Vincent¡­ a fire had been lit underneath me.


    I needed to be stronger. I don¡¯t think I could survive, seeing a million more people just like Vincent. To see all the reflections and mirrors of my own past. To know that for every moment I existed, and for every refugee like myself that I saw, there were hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions of people for each one that didn¡¯t survive. I alone represented hundreds of dead. I was the last one of my village, of my home, of my community, of my own past. Even the land was no longer truly around, stripped for parts.


    It was a weight but one that no longer felt like it would ever hold me back, but shove me forward down my own path.


    ¡°Master.¡± I said between breaths.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to win.¡±


    Master was silent for a while. Before speaking up.


    ¡°I already knew that you idiot. Just focus on your running. We have a lot more to do today. You¡¯re not even ready for the true training.¡±


    No more words were needed. Master was right. This was all just to get me used to my own body, to realize my own strength. Long before muscles improve, there¡¯s strength in them. In times of stress, horror, and danger, people can go beyond what they thought were their limits. But there was never any limit. Just their mind, body, and will not realizing their own strength. That was me right now. We weren¡¯t breaking limits. We were squeezing out all of me, getting me used to my own self that had advanced so rapidly, so that I could do the true goal.


    Increasing those limits.


    Breaking them and shattering them entirely.


    Over and over again, until I could win. Until I could beat that demon that haunted my soul.


    And as I ran, I could hear it. The steady thump of feet, the ragged breathing, the blazing malevolent aura like being next to a furnace. Any time I even thought of complaining, of slowing down, of relaxing, it was blown away by that simple information. That someone was chasing me. Chasing my strength. Trying to beat me to my goals.


    I was going to be the one to kill Vega and I wasn¡¯t going to do it by slacking off.


    Soon, the hour ended and the next work out appeared. I pushed until my arms felt like lead. And then iron and steel and then jelly. Until they felt like they¡¯d shatter.


    And the whole way through, Vincent did the same. The same amount of reps, the same amount of weight, the same amount of time. He chased me like a maddened dog, as if screaming that he wouldn¡¯t be out done. That he was the one that was going to win, to beat Vega, to avenge his family.


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    I could practically hear the strength of his teeth grinding together, could see the destruction he was putting upon himself, how he destroyed himself to keep up. If it was someone else, maybe I¡¯d say to them, to slow down. To relax, to take it easy, to not hurt themselves.


    But I¡¯d been Vincent. I knew. That wasn¡¯t what he wanted, needed, or would even work. In fact, the very idea of trying to do anything but help him get stronger made me repulsed. He needed this. I knew, I knew deep down, he needed this even more than me. A way to push forward. A path. Anger, hatred, despair, they were all so, so very vicious. And when you added helplessness, when you truly thought your dreams were impossible, when you started to sink to the depths of those emotions¡­


    ¡®A shitty couch, a trashy computer. An old TV. Modern furnishings in a crappy apartment. An old memory. Browsing through the horrible technology called the internet. Just another piece of trash trying to get in my way. Useless. My island was better, so much better. I was never going to win. It was over. My life was over. It''s all for nothing. I should just¡­ I should just¡­


    Pictures of guns, one already ready to be ordered, thoughts galore¡­ but not for Vega. They¡¯d never work. Never. But¡­ if all of my family was already dead I should just¡­¡¯


    I grimaced. I¡¯d been a coward in many ways. Couldn¡¯t kill myself, couldn¡¯t try anything new, couldn¡¯t give up, couldn¡¯t do a lot. I¡¯d let those feelings bury me until I was on the precipice of destruction. Hell, the gangsters in many ways had just been assisted suicide. It wasn¡¯t like I was drinking and roaming the shittiest parts of the city thinking things would improve.


    Vincent¡­ he just needed to hang on.


    As long as he had a path, he wouldn¡¯t self destruct. As long as he had someone¡¯s back to follow, he wouldn¡¯t fail. I could do at least this much. I could do what I wish someone had done for me. Carved a way forward, given me a way to get where I needed to go. Didn¡¯t hide behind smiles, didn¡¯t say anything useless, just pushed and pushed without harming me.


    Those first days¡­ are the worst days.


    Another machine. Another. Until-


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time for lunch. You too new guy.¡±


    I blinked.


    ¡°Master, the nutrients will be fine today-¡±


    ¡°Oh no, you bastard. I can¡¯t just give these shots willy nilly. I¡¯ve got to calculate different stuff for them. I¡¯ve already factored in lunch, so we¡¯re having lunch. Come on.¡±


    I got up to leave but Vincent didn¡¯t. He kept pushing.


    Master stopped and glared both at me and Vincent. Then he sighed and grumbled to himself.


    ¡®Damn brats¡­ useful fools¡­¡¯


    The next second Vincent was blinking in shock, standing next to me and I could feel master¡¯s aura pressing down on us both.


    ¡°Listen you ungrateful bastard. I agreed to one disciple. To train you to beat Vega. But I¡¯ve been trying to grow a plant in a void. Some competition will be healthy for you. So I¡¯ll say this. Oi, new guy.¡±


    Master¡¯s aura pressed down, practically physically, on top of Vincent. I could see his eyes bulging and his muscles straining, the veins popping out. It was like a cold, unfeeling mountain of steel coated in ice was crushing you. It hurt, it was unfeeling, and you could do very very little to stop it.


    ¡°If you can beat Mutai, I promise to help you train you better than any other Dojo in this city. In fact, I¡¯ll even throw away this useless jackass of a disciple and take you on instead.¡±


    ¡°¡±What?¡±¡±


    My eyes widened in shock. I¡¯d just wanted to help someone like myself, but what was going on now?!


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been in this city long but there are people walking around that could destroy buildings with ease. Use the Vambrace on your arm on me.¡±


    Vincent, thoroughly looking like a fish out of water, decided that following along with the crazy strong man was better than asking questions. After all, using your Vambrace to check how strong others were wasn¡¯t exactly uncommon. Every once in a while people would raise it casually.


    Vincent did so now and I decided to look at the number as well. After all¡­


    [???]


    That was all I could ever see. My cursed ability seemed to increase in relation to my power level, with a base of ten initially and then double whatever I had after that. Which meant unless I was half of master¡¯s power level, I was never going to be able to see it.


    And the number I saw¡­


    [432]


    ¡°¡±OVER FOUR HUNDRED?!¡±¡±


    Me and Vincent cried out at the same time.


    I knew master was strong¡­ but this strong?!


    Vincent looked like the fire inside of him was about to go out. Unlike me, he¡¯d probably grown up all his life knowing all about power levels. He¡¯d probably known his, his family''s, other people¡¯s, what it meant to be strong, and more. For me it was shocking based on what I¡¯d seen. But for Vincent?


    It practically broke his world view.


    Unlike me, he probably hadn¡¯t had time to casually look at Vega¡¯s power level. He might have, foolishly, assumed he was merely at a hundred or something. A level four hundred plus standing in front of him was like he was relearning all over again the truths of the world. He was stunned still, mouth agape, staring forward.


    That wasn¡¯t what concerned me though. Master being ridiculously strong was a given. No, it was the words master had said before.


    ¡°Master, what did you mean before?¡±


    He snorted.


    ¡°Exactly what I said. You act nice normally but the second you don¡¯t like me for something or feel a bit more arrogant, the curses and old man and bastard start coming out. And then the second I answer questions or start training you, it¡¯s ¡®Master master master¡¯. It¡¯s annoying and you¡¯re ungrateful for how much work I¡¯ve put into you. Still upset about being put in a near death experience for a little while.¡±


    I blinked in shock.


    ¡°You want me to be more respectful?¡±


    ¡°No. Gods no. I want you to share a bit of my pain. And some healthy competition will be exactly what you need. After all¡­ you¡¯re not the only one with the qualifications to beat Vega.¡±


    I turned, staring at Vincent, my mouth agape. No. No, Master couldn¡¯t mean¡­


    Two of Master¡¯s fingers were glowing in an odd manner.


    ¡°It seems we¡¯ve found a second person with the same potential as you.¡±

 Chapter 38: Feeling the Pressure

    I thought I was special. That was the only thought I could have while Vincent laid in a room a bit farther away in the dojo while I floated in the healing tank.


    I¡¯d just saw someone like me and wanted them to have a better time than I did and now¡­


    I don¡¯t know.


    The rest of the day after lunch had been¡­ tense. Vincent seemed dazed and confused. Even the workouts seemed to have lost a small bit of fire despite us going so hard at them. I was truly starting to feel my strength as the weeks had passed, staring in shocked amazement at how strong I was but now¡­


    Master was talking about replacing me. I didn¡¯t really buy that he was actually upset with me, that sounded like nonsense to me. But he wasn¡¯t wrong though, I had lost a massive amount of respect for him after he¡¯d nearly killed me and sent me to barely survive eating rats and gaining diseases by the truckload. He was evil, he¡¯d killed other disciples before who¡¯d asked for training, and he barely gave any warning before doing the same to me. It made me stronger but the price for that was, heavy. I¡¯d nearly died over a dozen times, at least.


    So no, I didn¡¯t truly respect Master fully anymore¡­ but I seriously doubted that actually bothered him. If so, he¡¯d have brought up the time I wailed on his face with my fists. I doubted a man like that was more bothered by words than actions. No, he¡¯d just said that because I had slightly annoyed him.


    But the threat was real. All the things master did, was to create someone strong enough to get revenge for him and to accomplish their goals in the process. He was pure like that. He¡¯d seen an opportunity in front of him to push me harder and taken it. A new disciple that if he surpassed me, he¡¯d replace me with them. That threat was real, a way to push me harder. But¡­ what really bothered me was¡­


    I thought I was special. I thought I was the only one. I thought I was an investment.


    Master had said it himself. That he didn¡¯t really see me like that. Not fully. I was a disciple, a student, and he was the teacher. But what needed to be taught¡­ could be taught to others. And I hadn¡¯t realized that. I thought I was unique, special, the only one that could be trained by Master. That he literally couldn¡¯t replace me. Otherwise, why save me? Why go through all this?


    I¡¯d been wrong. I was rare, but not unique. I was uncommon, but not special. I was just another person and Master only wanted someone that could complete their goal. Two people, same goal, each with the same potential? Even if I hadn¡¯t reached out to Vincent, master probably would have roped him into this¡­ rivalry sooner or later. How could he possibly ignore it?


    He was practically my living mirror.


    And unlike me, who¡¯d wasted away for years, Vega was fresh in his mind. He¡¯d push harder than me, he¡¯d go further than me, he¡¯d do more. Any amount of strength he got wouldn¡¯t be enough. He didn¡¯t need to go through the sewers to realize he needed power right now to survive, to make it feel like a need, he had that right now.


    We even had the same power level.


    If I lost¡­ Master would tell me to get lost. He only needed someone to do their best¡­ but what if their best wasn¡¯t good enough? Could I¡­


    Could I kill Vega without Master?


    I¡¯d never thought of it before. Never considered it. I¡¯d very vaguely considered leaving master but I knew I wouldn¡¯t so long as things didn¡¯t go catastrophic by the time I returned. But I¡¯d never considered that he could be the one to abandon me. A partnership went both ways and if I was found lacking¡­


    So, back to the question. Could I? Could I kill Vega without his teachings? Even now, I could go to another Dojo. Other teachers. Learn and train and study with countless other people or even by myself.


    I grimaced. I could but I¡­ wasn¡¯t confident. Master was cold, nearly heartless, and he used that to push you all the way to the brink and past it. If I tried to find someone similar¡­ they might really just kill me. I at least trusted Master¡¯s methods. But I¡¯d barely begun to learn from him. He was still preparing my body, he hadn¡¯t even taught me how to fight yet!


    Perhaps in the future, I truly wouldn¡¯t need master. I could get stronger without him. But it¡¯d be slower, less efficient, and just all around worse. I¡¯d have never gotten where I was without him and he was a treasure trove of information. Hell, what other Master would or could go as far? His words hadn¡¯t been lost on me. He¡¯d said he¡¯d invented four new ways to use Ki just to put me back together.


    Could anyone else in this entire city do that? Maybe¡­ but my knowledge, my foundation, it was still too lacking.


    So the answer¡­ was maybe. And maybe wasn¡¯t good enough. I needed to be sure I could kill Vega. Which meant¡­ right now, I needed Master.


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    So I couldn¡¯t afford to lose.


    *****


    Vincent stared at the ceiling, feeling the rage threatening to explode out from in him. Not just the utter and pure rage that threatened to consume him every waking moment. But the rage from confusion.


    He didn¡¯t understand. Too much, too much had been happening.


    He could still hear their screams. Remembered the fire. The laughter as the man floated above it all as he-


    It was only through a titanic strength of will he didn¡¯t scream out and destroy everything around him. He wanted to. He wanted to so bad. The metal coursing through his veins demanded he break the world, his body tensed so hard that he thought he¡¯d shatter first.


    They were dead. His family, his home, all of it. It was dead. Killed! By that man! That King!


    Vega.


    Slowly, he resisted the urge to destroy. He wanted to, so, so much. But the words of his grandfather still rung stronger than anything else. His grandfather¡¯s dying words.


    ¡°You must control yourself Vincent. You must. Don¡¯t become like Vega.¡±


    And then he¡¯d died. The explosion¡­ it had torn him apart right in front of him. He¡¯d awoken in a healing chamber and immediately disregarded his grandfather¡¯s words, only to be broken apart by that damn Smile company and shoved right back into the tank, over and over again.


    Until the rage had given way to despair. Till he had cried and mourned and screamed and screamed in that stupid awful liquid. Till the world no longer felt real and more like a living nightmare. Like a personal hell pulled out of his worst dreams.


    But it was real. It was all too real.


    Weeks had passed and it was only through his grandfather''s words that he didn¡¯t kill anyone. He wasn¡¯t like that monster but he understood now. The desire to kill had taken hold of him and it threatened to combine with his rage to send him ballistic. Someone had accidentally cut in line, a young woman, and he¡¯d nearly murdered her. He was¡­ unstable.


    But he wouldn¡¯t become that man. Never. He was Vincent Valorious of Clan Valorious. They were all dead but he carried their dreams on his shoulders. And he knew, if they were all to come back alive and well right now, they¡¯d only want one thing.


    Revenge.


    It darkened the soul but destroying your enemies¡­ if you couldn¡¯t even do that, you were not long for this world. A cruel, cruel fact he¡¯d had seared into him by a man using his dead and dying people as the brand.


    He was the last.


    He shook off the memories. They haunted him. They hurt him. They enraged him! But they weren¡¯t helpful.


    Today was different. He had been dropped off in this damn city with practically nothing to his name. A small pile of money, some directions, and temporary housing. That had been it. And he was expected to just¡­ go with it. Adapt. Be normal.


    If police weren¡¯t so strong¡­ if it wasn¡¯t for the words of his Grandfather¡­


    But none of that mattered. He¡¯d gone to the gym, after finally realizing what he needed to do. He needed to get stronger, to push this weak body of his forward, to destroy all in his path, and finally rise up and smash down that Evil God that threatened the world. For his people, for his Clan! For their dearly departed souls, for the honor of Clan Valorious!


    And he¡¯d received shock after shock.


    There¡¯d been another man like himself there. Green eyes, bronze skin, black hair, human. Young, lean like himself, less athletic. He¡¯d barely looked twice at the human, so plain was he. Till he approached him. Till he saw the look in his eyes. Till he heard those damn words.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill Vega.¡±


    Said with such confidence, such absolute conviction. And that look in his eyes¡­ they were beyond him. They reminded him of a¡­ hyena. A hungry hyena. Not just filled with rage like his, not filled with destruction, but a hunger. A desire. And that confidence¡­ how? How did he get it?


    He¡¯d known the moment they agreed to race towards that impossible goal¡­


    He¡¯d found himself a brother. An ally, a Warrior like him. A man willing to go to incredible lengths to achieve anything. A man¡­ who¡¯d seen and felt Vega¡¯s pain firsthand. Those were the eyes of hatred. Those were the same eyes he¡¯d seen in the mirror every night.


    He¡¯d felt and seen his power level. The same as his. Yet¡­ he¡¯d followed him. He¡¯d felt something, something intense. And as he¡¯d copied him, to try to keep up with the man that would dare try to race him towards killing that man¡­ he¡¯d felt it.


    Just how hard he was pushing. Vincent had his body nearly broken long before lunch but he refused to give up. And then¡­


    The offer from that Master.


    To become a Disciple. And his power level.


    He¡¯d felt everything break down in that moment. He hadn¡¯t known how far he needed to go but for him, a random man he¡¯d met to be stronger than all three Patriarchs combined? Just¡­ how far away was Vega? How powerful was he? What was his power level?


    And to be offered to be trained by that Master?


    He had to take it. He had to. To avenge his Clan, to avenge his people. To rid himself of this Hatred! Of this Rage! To destroy that man!


    Even if he had to surpass his new found brother in order to do so¡­ he would.


    ¡°Sorry Mutai but¡­ I¡¯m not going to lose. I can¡¯t afford to.¡±


    Master¡¯s that strong offering to help train you didn¡¯t fall out of the sky. He would fight to the bitter end to have that sort of help. To get stronger.


    And he would destroy anyone that got in his way.

 Chapter 39: Brutal Lessons

    The day started weirdly. Ever since Master had started our new gym routine, things had been going at a different but familiar pace.


    I¡¯d wake up from my tank, put on clothes, we¡¯d go eat a light breakfast, and then start working out. Then continue till lunch, then dinner, then finally home to do it all over again. But now things were sticking out to me, now that Vincent was here.


    How truly strange it was¡­ that he had a room and I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t sleep in a bed, I didn¡¯t have a desk, I didn¡¯t have a job or money, Master was even grumpy about me wasting time to eat three meals. He was almost more dedicated than me for getting stronger. The fact that someone new was in the Dojo, not fifty feet away, and had all those things¡­ it made me feel different. That Master treated me¡­ odd.


    The next thing that jumped out to me was the clothes. The Gi had left, now, master gave me workout clothes. A simple thing of a black shirt, boxers, and somewhat baggy blue pants. That and boots and socks. Again it felt¡­ strange.


    Only after getting dressed did I realize what was bothering me. Master was taking care of me, completely. In a lot of ways, without his support, I¡¯d be right back to where I started without him except with a higher power level and the potential to gain more. That was great but¡­ I was too reliant.


    Not only was I too reliant but¡­ master wasn¡¯t a parent. He wasn¡¯t giving me this stuff, he was loaning this all to me, and barely treated me like a person. I¡¯d just never noticed until I¡¯d seriously thought about what it would mean to lose his support, resources, and even his Dojo.


    I wasn¡¯t ready, or even able, to give this all up. I¡¯d¡­ what would I even do? What would my next steps be? I¡¯d still need to get stronger so, I¡¯d need to go to a new Dojo. I¡¯d need money for that. Which meant I¡¯d need a job¡­ which meant I¡¯d need to go get a new ID after long, long having lost my old one somewhere along the way. And where would I even live during all that? Back to being homeless again?


    With every step I was feeling it. The lack of resources, the lack of knowing where and what to do without someone guiding my way. It was¡­ incredibly uncomfortable. Training, learning, that was one thing. But this was codependency.


    Even when I¡¯d been a broken mess of a person, I¡¯d forced myself to make money and get my own food. Even when I¡¯d been homeless and jobless, I¡¯d at least begged on the street like a dog and taken from dumpsters. And when I¡¯d been forced to survive down in the sewer I¡¯d spent the majority of it hunting, fighting, and surviving on my own before I¡¯d made it to Ragual¡¯s village and that had only been after I¡¯d fought a hell of a battle and saved his life.


    But I was not only reliant but indebted. Master may have sent me down there but he had done it for my sake and fixed me entirely up. I was incredibly thankful but only now was I realizing how much I¡¯d been given and how much I was lacking. I may one day leave this Dojo hating his very guts but, I¡¯d at least have the tools to make my own path in this world.


    But that day wasn¡¯t today. I was still too weak, too inexperienced. And if I didn¡¯t remain stronger than Vincent¡­ I¡¯d never get to that point.


    Master had pushed me farther than I could ever have gone by myself. He¡¯d taken a dying homeless man and turned him into a Warrior. He believed in me. I felt it more and more through our every conversation. He truly thought it was at least possible for me to win against Vega. He thought I could do it.


    I looked down at my hands.


    Too lax. Far too lax. From the first moment I arrived here even. Master¡¯s training, it wasn¡¯t something to just do. I had to earn the right to even receive it, even if he was a monster. I had to do my best. And my best¡­ it had to be better than others.


    I clenched them into fists.


    I wasn¡¯t going to lose. Not to Vincent. Not to anyone.


    I¡¯d earn the right to train under Master and one day?


    I¡¯d be the one to kill Vega.


    *****


    Breakfast was tense but not slow. I uh, I had kinda, lost the ability to eat slowly somewhere along the lines. It wasn¡¯t my fault! You try eating rats and sometimes alive rats! You¡¯d eat as quickly as possible and force yourself to swallow too!


    But that meant when actually good food came out¡­


    *****


    Vincent stared in awe. He¡¯d seen it twice yesterday but Mutai truly ate like a rabid animal. He devoured plate after plate after plate of food. His Master seemed to not care about the costs, merely about how long eating took, and more than one grumble about ¡®inefficiency¡¯.


    Master ate his waffles and pancakes sedately but Mutai was already on his fifth plate and staring at it like he hadn¡¯t eaten since Rabahgahdan. He stared down at his own food of sausage, pancakes, and orange juice with a frown. Bodies were different but they all needed nutrition. His own still hurt all over but without nutrition, without keeping up with how much Mutai was putting inside him¡­


    He abandoned his silverware, shoving the food into his mouth.


    He wasn¡¯t going to lose to something stupid like this! Only breakfast and already, Mutai was trying to get ahead of him!


    ¡°Great, now there are two of them¡­¡± A grumble came out from Master.


    *****


    I felt like a god of speed being chased by a demon lightning bolt.


    I was fast. I knew I was fast. I could feel it. I was going so fast that I threatened to launch myself clear over this stupid machine, through the wall, and across the city. But it wasn¡¯t fast enough. Right next to me, was something trying to gain on me. Something like a bulldozer trying to reach me. It was always there, out the corner of my eye, with gritted teeth and panting breath. With Rage and Hatred. A force of nature come to be unleashed.


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    Vincent.


    He was all but roaring as he ran on the treadmill next to me, constantly going faster and faster. We were the same power level but¡­ I¡¯d been at the limit for a while, merely getting used to my own strength and self. I¡¯d even shattered that barrier and started to grow past my own limits again.


    And yet he was keeping up. No. No, not just keeping up. He was catching up. Going faster. Gaining on me. I felt like my head was going to explode. When had I ever been chased like this? Haunted like this? I could only go faster, no matter what. Harder, heavier, launch myself forward more, bring my legs down quicker, force my heart to beat even faster, force my blood to flow quicker.


    Everything¡­ wasn¡¯t enough. Soon, my worst fears were realized.


    He caught up to me, to my speed.


    And then went beyond.


    I saw it there, felt it then, knew it then. That¡­


    I roared, not caring about my surroundings, as I demanded my body grow, to speed up! I wasn¡¯t going to lose like this! I couldn¡¯t afford to lose to someone else!


    I pushed forward and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t reach my speed. But only barely. It wasn¡¯t enough to stay stagnant. Even minorly, he was always increasing. Always getting better. Always improving. It was terrifying. I hadn¡¯t ever thought my rate of improvement was very good or fast but to suddenly need to keep up and ahead of such a monster-


    ¡°Next.¡±


    The machine slowed down and we moved onto the bench. We were both still charged, barely taking a drink of water before rushing over. I¡¯d underestimated Vincent¡¯s drive and he showed me just how much emotion could push someone.


    Throughout the entire day, he threatened to overtake me. More than I¡¯d like I found myself nearly losing and could feel my body screaming at me. Lunch was tense and despite myself, I found myself glaring at him and him at me.


    We both wanted the same thing but, only one could have it. And when there was only one thing to go around and all your effort wasn¡¯t enough-


    ¡°Would you just fuck off?!¡± Vincent screamed at me, rage flaring in his eyes.


    We were on the stairmaster now and for once, I was solidly defeating him in something. Not that he was making it easy. I was having to push myself far more than I ever knew I could and his words sparked my own rage.


    ¡°Me?! I¡¯m not the one trying to steal food out another man¡¯s mouth!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve it! I need it!¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡±


    What did this bastard just say to me?


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try saying that again after you actually are better than me for once?!¡±


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡±


    I doubled down my effort, feeling my legs practically snap and break as my sides twisted and my back screamed at me but I refused to be beat like a dog like this. I was Mutai! I was a Warrior now! I wasn¡¯t allowed to just give in. Not if I wanted to win. I had to fight and struggle and crawl and claw my way to life, let alone to this. How dare he talk about deserve?


    I was going to make sure I beat you!


    Find your own way to victory and stop trying to take mine!


    *****


    ¡°You both look like bow legged chickens.¡± Master chuckled.


    I struggled to stand, my legs were shaking like leaves in a storm. I was only mildly happy that it was the same for Vincent. Collapse you bastard. Collapse. That way Master can throw you back out and you can figure out your own way to beat Vega. I need this. I do deserve this. What have you ever done to deserve anything you¡­


    I breathed in deep while Vincent glared at me with utter rage and hatred. It was actually to the point that my guard was up, ready to fight him if need be. He looked pissed.


    How much longer would we need to-


    ¡°We¡¯ll be doing this for a while,¡± Master said, as if he were able to read our minds. ¡°So I¡¯d suggest you two get used to each other¡­ for now.¡±


    Both our faces scrunched up at that.


    I doubt either of us predicted just how hard and desperate it would be to have a rival. It wasn¡¯t fun. No, in fact, I¡¯d take a whip to the back while running over having to see this man nearly surpass me at every single moment.


    It was horrifying, like watching your future nearly slip away.


    Pain simply just couldn¡¯t compare. And now I¡¯d have to deal with that for more than just a day? I didn¡¯t think Master would throw him out after only one day but I¡¯d begun to hope after around lunch that he would.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get dinner and then head to the Dojo to sleep and do it all again tomorrow.¡± Master said with a smirk.


    I felt my face get even uglier, before remembering something. A smile slowly slipped onto me.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Vincent said venomously.


    ¡°Nothing, nothing. Have a good rest Vincent.¡±


    I was happy all throughout dinner and all the way back to the Dojo, even though I felt like I¡¯d keel over and die every single step of the way.


    Because I had a healing tank and Vincent didn¡¯t. He¡¯d be sore tomorrow, I wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯d push farther and farther ahead of him while he was too tired and exhausted to do anything. I didn¡¯t hate him but, he needed to go find a new master to train him and to stop trying to take mine!


    As I made my way down to the basement, I was confused. Master and Vincent were following me for some reason. Vincent looked just as confused as I did so I looked to Master but he didn¡¯t seem willing to reveal anything.


    The second I got down to the basement-


    ¡°FUCK!¡±


    I could practically feel Master¡¯s smirk as now, there wasn¡¯t just one healing tank down here.


    There were two.


    ¡°Vincent, this is a healing tank. You may already know but it¡­ from now on you¡¯ll¡­¡±


    As Vincent listened quietly and I tuned them out, my expression collapsed. It remained just as ugly as I, more angry than embarrassed, stripped nude and got into my healing tank. Vincent didn¡¯t even bat an eye, following my example, and getting in his own.


    But I could see the look in his eye. There wasn¡¯t relief or happiness or even arrogance or a smirk.


    Only pain, rage, hatred, and above all of them¡­


    Determination.


    This¡­ This wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

 Chapter 40: Living with Vincent

    My organs were going to fall apart.


    Every. Single. Day.


    Every single day, Vincent pushed me beyond what I thought was capable of. And it wasn¡¯t like how master did it. No, that was, tough love. This was an obsession. Every single day, I had to be better. Every single day, Vincent tried desperately, despairingly, ragingly, to close the gap. And he did. Again, and again, and again.


    My feet hit the treadmill unlike any other speed I¡¯d known. I didn¡¯t dare even glance at the monster out the corner of my eye, lest he crush my lead. I didn¡¯t have that kind of luxury. I didn¡¯t even have the luxury to be exhausted or to pant or to breathe wrong if I wanted to win. The body could only do so much and in my desperation, I had to take every single moment and think about it. No more mindless running. Every position of my foot, bend of my leg, even the movement of my arms.


    And I had to do that for every machine, for every work out, for every second of every day. It felt like my mind was going to break as well as my body and I¡¯d even begun to cry tears of blood about a week ago. It had stopped recently but it was evidence of just how hard I had to push every part of me.


    And every day, no, every minute that I spent ahead of Vincent the more angry and determined and fierce he became. A normal person, after weeks of having someone ahead of them, would have given up. Or they would have accepted the other person is better or they could never compare or at least relaxed a little.


    He didn¡¯t. Never. I¡¯d seen him literally shatter his arms during a workout once. It was one of the few times he surpassed me. Yesterday, he literally broke his leg while running on the stairmaster. He¡¯d outdone me there too. He was quite literally breaking himself to surpass me and the worst part? It was working. I wasn¡¯t always winning these days, it was hard enough to just stay slightly ahead. He was a god damn monster. A machine. My worst nightmare come to beat out the weakness from me.


    Breakfast, lunch, and dinner had now become a war. We competed, in everything. Who would wake up faster, who¡¯d heal faster, who¡¯d eat more, who¡¯d push harder. Looking at him was like looking at pure rage and I felt the exact same. It¡¯d long gone past wanting to punch him or have him stop. Those were childish emotions compared to the absolute fury I felt towards him. If it wasn¡¯t for master, I¡¯d already have attacked him. I hadn¡¯t hated him at the start but how could I remain that way? He was always moments from taking what was mine, what I needed. His words were tinged with hatred but always direct and true. They hurt all the worse for it.


    ¡°I¡¯m catching up.¡± He¡¯d said one day.


    ¡°The fuck you are.¡± I replied back, staring into those red eyes of his.


    ¡°The better warrior gets the better resources. I am going to be that Warrior.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just an asshole trying to take my way of getting stronger. There¡¯s a million others! A thousand fucking dojos would love to have you! Go there!¡±


    ¡°And will they be as good as the one who simply calls himself Master? I have seen no other with his level of strength in this city. How could I do anything but the best for my Clan, my people! Is it not the same for you? Does that man not burn you with hatred? I must do this.¡±


    ¡°Act polite all you like, I¡¯m at least honest. You said the better warrior gets the better resources? Clearly, that¡¯s me then.¡±


    His eyes had burned hard and cold at that.


    ¡°I will tear you the fuck apart. You think me a thief and I think you¡¯re just another obstacle in my road. I must beat you, no matter what. I can¡¯t afford to be weak if I¡¯m going to tear that king down.¡±


    ¡°I told you once and I¡¯ll tell you again. I am going to be the one to kill Vega.¡±


    That was one of the times he¡¯d beaten me on the machine. If only he was smug and arrogant or spat on me or something. If only he was anything but a ball of rage and hatred. I¡¯d reached out a hand to a monster of potential and he gripped it and used it to vault right over me. His malevolent presence had at least lessened. I was far less worried about him falling into helplessness or self destruction but... No good deed goes unpunished they say¡­


    The day ended and the struggle just to get to the place where they served food was had yet again. Stuffing both our stomachs and then dragging ourselves home, I had begun to get sick of this. This was hard. This was so much harder than any other training I¡¯d done, short of the sewers. And even that had been a lot less¡­ intense in the later parts.


    And it showed.


    Above Vincent¡­


    [15]


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    And above me.


    [15]


    The gains were unbelievable. I wasn¡¯t sure how much stronger and faster I was than before, or how durable, but it wasn¡¯t just fifty percent. I might be over double or triple as much¡­ and Vincent kept up every step of the way. It was hard to notice the increase in power when someone ruthlessly kept up like that and threatened to surpass you. Every morning he¡¯d sweep that stupid Vambrace over me and himself. Every day I¡¯d look at both our numbers. There¡¯d been one day where he¡¯d been less than mine. That was when he broke his arms. He¡¯d caught up within the day.


    Going back home, I was ready to continue this nightmare, even if it took months or years. It was hard to feel good about the gains I had but hopefully, one day, I¡¯d outpace him. That he¡¯d fall behind. I¡¯d started to lose faith I could simply be better, he was too good. I was doing my hardest and breaking every limit and thought I had about what I could do, simply doing what I must do, and yet still he kept up. My only hope now was that the later stages of power were harder for him than it was for me¡­


    It wasn¡¯t a very large hope.


    ******


    The next morning, something was different. I could feel it the moment I got out of the healing tank and Vincent was no different. We stared warily around, as if we were about to be attacked. Our instincts were screaming at us that something was different, that something was wrong.


    ¡°Our clothes are different.¡± I said first. My brain spoke before I consciously realized.


    Vincent had his own clothes and stuff but Master still got him specific workout clothes and shoes every time he woke up. Now, they were different. Not the white Gi¡¯s you¡¯d see on a karate student, nor the casual clothes of working out, but something else.


    Vincent went up to them, as if a snake was going to bite him, and held them up.


    In some ways, it was a Gi. It was two pieces of clothing, clearly a top and a bottom, with a sash. But it was different. The material was more, baggy, and pure black with red lines going throughout it. The belt was blue and more elastic. On the right of the chest, there was a small symbol in a circle I¡¯d never seen before. Turning the Gi around, it covered the entire back.


    ħ


    ¡°Do you know what this symbol means? No, wait, do you have any idea what language it is?¡± I asked Vincent.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Language was nearly uniform across the planet. Everyone spoke Common. Or Vegalic if you wanted to be an asshole and credit a monster for it. He¡¯d long made everyone speak and write the same thing. Languages still arose or there were a few from the ancient past, but I¡¯d never seen anything like this before despite it clearly being a language.


    The Gi wasn¡¯t the only difference. There was a dark blue undershirt and the boots followed the same color scheme. But beyond looks the biggest change was-


    ¡°Why is this so heavy?!¡± Vincent cried out.


    The weight. The shoes, the socks, the Gi, even the belt. They all felt like they weighed dozens of pounds each. It felt like I was wrapped in iron and chains. Every movement took a dozen times more effort and the worst was the small movement. Things that would¡¯ve taken no energy before suddenly did. It was like being underwater but worse.


    My heart nearly stopped when a horrible realization came over me.


    ¡°Are we¡­ going to have to work out¡­ in this?¡±


    The look on Vincent¡¯s face was hilarious but I wasn¡¯t laughing. For once, we were on the same page. Working out was already pushing us to the brink of near death at times. With this on, making everything so much harder¡­


    It seems I¡¯d return to crying tears of blood soon.


    Awkwardly, we both made our way out of the basement and up the stairs. Even if the clothes were so heavy it felt like a struggle to walk, the routine hadn¡¯t changed. Get up, go outside, meet master, go get food, go workout.


    Except Master had a serious look on his face today and that immediately had every nerve in my body on edge. I could practically feel Vincent stiffen up next to me. He was a fool, I could practically read his thoughts, that Master was going to make some kind of final decision right now. I knew, for a fact, that whatever he was about to say was going to be far worse. Master choosing a disciple wasn¡¯t a death sentence at least but this might actually be one.


    ¡°You both have done too well. Far too well. From now on, you are now wearing the Gi¡¯s of my Dojo. The Demon School. We will spend the next two weeks training you both with these clothes on and then¡­ I will teach you my martial arts.¡±


    My heart skipped a beat¡­ and then roared. I could feel it growing, pounding, beating faster and faster and faster.


    Master¡­ was really going to teach me how to fight. No, no, this was way, far more than that. He¡¯d already accepted me as his disciple but now I was officially a part of his dojo, a part of his teachings and schoolings. The Gi I was wearing wasn¡¯t just more clothes that weighed a lot, it was the official uniform of The Demon School. A fitting name for a Dojo run by master¡­


    ¡°Does this mean¡­¡± Vincent said, looking uncharacteristically nervous. ¡°That, we¡¯re no longer competing?¡±


    That would be a relief. Not having to push as hard would be-


    ¡°Of course not. I still only need one disciple. It just means neither of you were able to beat each other before becoming official students. Work hard and don¡¯t disgrace my school. I dedicated my life to learning how to fight and I¡¯ll be passing on those teachings. If you disgrace that, I will kill you.¡±


    He was dead serious for once. Not a hint of levity in him. It was only slightly less terrifying than when he was excessively casual.


    ¡°We won¡¯t disappoint you master.¡± I said.


    ¡°Good. Now, come on. We need to get the day started already. Both of you will probably be dead before lunch but ehh.¡±


    Ah, in the moment, I¡¯d forgotten. I¡¯d have to work out all day while wearing these weighted clothes.


    At that moment, I truly understood.


    Things only get harder, never easier!

 Chapter 41: A Walk Down Memory Lane

    Death. Oh how I wish for death. Death would be so great. So awesome. So wonderful oh how-


    ¡°Mutai.¡± Vincent called out to me. The voice sounded as if it¡¯d been pulled from the depths of the underworld.


    ¡°Y..ea..h?¡± My own voice struggled, destroyed as it was. It may actually be injured. Strange, I don¡¯t remember screaming¡­


    ¡°This is hard.¡±


    That was all he said but I nodded back, my entire emotional capacity put into that nod. It spoke volumes that even Vincent¡¯s eternal rage, pain, and hatred had been extinguished for a moment out of pure exhaustion. I¡¯d at least experienced this maybe twice before. Once in the sewers as I was on the verge of death from sickness and once from when I¡¯d spent weeks punching that stupid bag till my body gave out over and over.


    These weighted clothes were not a joke. They were so monstrously effective that my eyes had shaken like a leaf in a storm when I¡¯d tried running.


    My speed was less than someone with a power level of [5] going all out. Vincent was the same.


    It was the same in every other area. Our strength hadn¡¯t changed but our muscles were already so tired by everything else. I¡¯d run out of sweat and I think my body had started sweating blood at one point. My mind had gone strange and I remembered puking somewhere. Someone had said words at me but I couldn¡¯t remember. Dehydration threatened to straight up kill me and the exhaustion was more than anything I¡¯d ever felt. A weaker Mutai would¡¯ve passed out already. I envied that Mutai so much.


    For Vincent to admit this was hard¡­ that was the true wake up call that what we were doing was insane.


    We weren¡¯t allowed to remove the clothes. No matter what. Not even when we showered. Only at the end of the day, were we finally allowed to strip them off and get into our healing tanks. We hadn¡¯t even made it to the second week yet. At this rate, we may literally die before we do. It was a real fear.


    ¡°We¡­ need¡­ to go to the showers.¡± Vincent spoke, struggling to move towards them. The thigh machine had been the last one, so I doubted our chances.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ Vincent. I don¡¯t think¡­ I can make it.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t being dramatic. Our bodies were taking damage like this. One of the bones in my legs had fractured. Maybe both of them. I¡¯d seen Vincent nearly crush himself to death with weight the other day when two of his fingers had broken. I had no idea how I was going to do the stairmaster today¡­


    Real tears sprung up. Tears of pain and despair.


    Vincent grabbed my shirt, a bit of anger returning to his face and eyes.


    ¡°You¡­ are not¡­ giving up.¡±


    I stared into those red eyes and felt a small stir of my soul spit out a bit more motivation. Giving up, to Vincent? That wasn¡¯t allowed.


    ¡°Fuck off.¡± I said, slapping his hand away. ¡°I¡¯ll beat you there.¡±


    I did, if only barely. The water slamming into us released steam. The water was cold but it was like pouring water onto a stove when it hit our bodies. It would make the next exercises worse, as the clothes became even heavier, but it was that or dying. I¡¯d have preferred dying but Master made sure we stayed just alive enough to continue working out. That torturer¡­


    We laid there together. It wasn¡¯t the first time. We had to take whatever break we could get when we could get it and laying down in a filthy gym shower was heaven compared to the sewers. The relief was pure ambrosia pouring into my veins. I opened my mouth, letting the water fall into my mouth.


    ¡°Mutai.¡± Vincent said, his voice slightly less weak.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why¡­ how do you do it?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°This training. It¡¯s¡­ I¡¯ve trained before. I come from a long line of warriors and metalworkers. This¡­ this is¡­¡±


    ¡°Vega has to die.¡±


    They were simple words but they were true. What else was there to say? Vega had to die. I glanced at Vincent and saw some of his heat return. Some more of that ferocity, that anger, that hatred. He was going to surpass me, I realized in that moment. That anger, I didn¡¯t have it anymore. I still had plenty of anger but it was nothing compared to the inferno within Vincent. I had to push harder to beat him. I had to. I had to-


    ¡°No. That. That right there! How do you do it?¡± Vincent¡¯s words seemed to be getting faster. ¡°You aren¡¯t like me. You¡¯re so, calm. Yet you¡¯re always ahead of me. How do you do it?!¡±


    I frowned. I wasn¡¯t stupid, I got what he meant. I just¡­


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    ¡°My village-¡± I choked up, the moment hitting me with a surge of emotions. I hadn¡¯t expected that. The moment was just too¡­ charged. I tried again.


    ¡°My life¡­ it was peaceful. We lived out on an island away from work or money or anything like that. We fished. We hunted a little. We swam and we played. Everyone took care of each other. We had festivals, we had hobbies, my mother even liked to carve. She made beautiful little totems. My father was a woodworker, he made houses. He made our house. Towa had a vegetable garden and Maui always liked to play around and¡­ and¡­¡± My eyes felt wetter than normal. ¡°It was, it was wonderful.¡± I remembered those peaceful times. That great life that had been stolen from me.


    ¡°It sounds like it was.¡± Vincent said in a quiet voice.


    We were both silent for a time, letting the water fall.


    ¡°I was always weak you know. Always. But I didn¡¯t care. They hid it from me. The whole village, my parents, my friends, everyone. My whole life, they knew, but I didn¡¯t. Not how weak at least. I was power level [1] since the day I was born. The same day I realized¡­ Vega came. He¡­ I remember. I¡­ saw my mother die. A beam through the heart. I saw her soul leave, the life depart her body. I saw the life leave her eyes. I didn¡¯t realize what was happening then. The beams, they rained down. They took so many so fast.¡±


    I can still remember the screams. The cries. The fear and panic in so many voices. Vega¡¯s name shouted. Pleas for mercy, pleas for their children, for their lives. So much fear and screaming.


    ¡°I was hit hard. I didn¡¯t understand. My father, he rammed into me, breaking my bones, running with all his strength out of the village. There was a blast of ki and¡­ and they were gone. All of them. The whole Village. It was just a crater. A crater. It was so silent. So deathly silent. The blast hit me so hard and when I came to, I realized it. With horrifying clarity, I realized it all. Then Vega came down. He smirked. He smiled and he laughed at what he had done. I asked him why. Why did he do it, why did he hurt them, why did he kill everyone. Why? Why did he¡­ All he said was that I was lucky. He was surprised I was alive. He raised a hand to kill me and-¡±


    My voice choked up as the water fell and fell. A lot fell around my eyes.


    ¡°My father stood up. He told Vega that he would not kill me. Vega¡­ agreed. My father¡­ his head¡­ he¡­ blood¡­ so much blood. It¡­¡±


    It took me a long, long while to finish the story.


    ¡°I punched him. He called me an infant. He knocked me out. The next time I woke up, everything was gone and the Smile company had me on a boat. That was over three years ago.¡±


    My breathing felt rougher than when I¡¯d entered the showers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m ahead Vincent. I think¡­ you¡¯re going to surpass me. I think I realize that now. You¡¯re so much, stronger than me. In your soul. I don¡¯t have that anger or drive anymore. I wasted away. I became a homeless nothing. I drank and drank and drank and drank. Some gangsters they¡­ they nearly killed me while I was drowning myself in alcohol. I was stuck at Power Level [1] my whole life and they were¡­ they tore me apart. Master saved me. I broke through my wall, I fought, I clawed my way up from the sewers but I just don¡¯t have your drive. I don¡¯t know why I just¡­ I hate him. I hate him more than anything else in the world. But my anger isn¡¯t the same as yours. It¡¯s too¡­ old. Burnt out. But still¡­¡±


    I got up, taking a deep breath.


    ¡°But still?¡± Vincent said, eyes peering into me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just give up. Master saved me and although it¡¯s not what my family would have wanted¡­ I want to kill him. Even if you surpass me, I¡¯ll catch up and surpass you again. No matter how much it takes. I can¡¯t afford to lose Vincent. I¡¯ve told you before and I¡¯ll tell you again.¡±


    ¡°I am going to kill Vega.¡±


    Vincent stared at me, eyes piercing through me, before it was like something clicked inside his mind.


    He got up but his eyes never left mine.


    ¡°My family burned to death.¡± He finally said. ¡°Some died easier but most¡­ they burned. I am the last of my clan and the last of my people. I can¡¯t accept you being ahead of me in this. I need every ounce of power I can get to rid this world of that man and bring down that evil king. Even if it means our Master kicks you out¡­ I can¡¯t stop or go away. I need power.¡±


    I nodded, knowing that feeling all too well. How often had I felt that way before? The entirety of the last three years. Every single day since I lost my family and my village. I didn¡¯t like how he was doing it or the consequences if he were to succeed or how much fucking pressure he put me under¡­ but I¡¯d always understood. Master¡¯s like Master don¡¯t just fall out of the sky.


    ¡°Yeah, well, may the best man win then.¡± I said as diplomatically as I could.


    ¡°No. May the better Warrior succeed my brother.¡± Vincent said as he passed me by.


    I froze for a moment. Brother huh¡­


    ¡°Now come on. Let¡¯s see how well you¡¯re going to do on the Stairmaster today.¡± He smirked, for once. I looked down at my shaking, probably nearly broken legs and scowled.


    He won that competition that day.


    ******


    ¡°Man, you two are nuts. I mean really, I almost had to get better healing tanks. That¡¯s a lie, there are no better healing tanks, but still. Anyway, you guys destroyed your bodies, oof.¡±


    I lightly glared at Master while Vincent just looked dumbfounded at the words. I was getting used to Master¡¯s casual nonsense but that didn¡¯t make it any better to hear.


    ¡°Well, anyway. The two weeks are over now and your power levels sure show the results.¡±


    [18]


    [18]


    Three levels in two weeks may not sound like much but it was. It got harder to go up the levels as you went up. There was a certain point past where master said you started to gain more than one at a time but, that apparently was somewhere past the hundreds¡­


    At least I hoped we weren¡¯t moving too slowly but it¡¯s not like I could try any harder. Any more would definitely kill me.


    ¡°From this point on, it¡¯s time to learn how to fight. As for how we¡¯re going to start¡­¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you two start with a spar?¡±


    My eyes widened.


    I stared at Vincent and he stared right back.


    I wasn¡¯t going to pull punches and he would show me no mercy.


    It was time to defeat this new brother of mine.

 Chapter 42: The Demon School

    I took a deep breath. My heart pounded in my ears and my eyes scanned the enemy across from me.


    Vincent.


    Short silver hair, grey skin, wearing a black gi with sinister red lines going through it. Red eyes full of fire burning through me. Rage and hatred threatening to tear me apart, like the anger of a primal beast. And yet his movements were smooth, like flowing metal. He reminded me in that moment like nothing more than a demon vying for control with only the thinnest of margins.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Master said.


    We stood in a room I hadn¡¯t even known existed. A deeper basement than even where the healing tanks were. An empty room and almost hidden stairs had led down here. It had shocked me when I¡¯d seen it. A stone arena. It was very clearly designed and meant for fighting. The rock beneath my feet had just the slightest amount of give. I took it all in as I stared into Vincent¡¯s eyes.


    My own racing heartbeat, the flow of my blood throughout my body, the weight of the training clothes bringing me down to a far more familiar speed and strength as it threatened to crush me, the stale but charged air between us.


    We understood each other more than anyone else did. Even my own mother wouldn¡¯t have understood me as I currently was. I¡¯d changed. I continued to change. And my goal came ever closer with every step of my own two feet. From a drunk to a punching bag, to dying in the sewers and now fighting a true warrior. I¡¯d seen him every step of the way and I knew for a fact.


    He was going to kill me if given the chance.


    I¡¯d realized it the moment we¡¯d locked eyes. My heartbeat had skyrocketed seeing the killing intent practically radiating through him. I don¡¯t even know if he realized it himself. Just how serious this was to him, just how much it meant to him. This wasn¡¯t just a spar, this was his final chance to earn Master¡¯s teachings in his eyes. To get closer to getting revenge.


    Amusingly, it wasn¡¯t Vega that spurned me on. That was a distant goal and dream, a raging hatred I¡¯d use later. A far more mortal, a far more familiar urge spurned me on. One that lit up my veins like no other, a feeling that screamed through my mind and sent electric shocks throughout my nerves like fire.


    Survival.


    Vega was Vega but I could die here.


    We both waited, muscles tense, eyes sharp, breath even.


    ¡°Go.¡± Master said.


    Vincent shot towards me like a rocket, his feet kicking up dust in his path. Like a raging Asura, his face snarled and his eyes burned. It was clear that it was only muscle memory that made his movements anything more than a beast¡¯s. His hand shot forward, aiming for my chest. I stepped to the side, hand thrust out to deflect the arm further and his steps changed in a moment and-


    Pain radiated from my side as a force like a hammer slammed into me. A flurry of hell unleashed, fists like lightning slamming into me like hammers striking metal. Dozens of punches each with shocking strength hit me like a storm. My eyes shook in shock as I felt agony shake through me, my body growing beaten and bruised.


    One slammed into my face and then another and another and-


    I caught it then. The look in Vincent¡¯s eyes. It had changed.


    I slammed my foot down and dodged a blow that would¡¯ve shattered my face by the barest of margins. I knew it.


    He was going to kill me.


    Vincent was trying to kill me.


    Blow after blow after blow came towards me and I raised my arms up. I bent and stepped, never staying still, weaving around the room, as I threw my hands out, slamming my palms into his forearms. It took every ounce of concentration to dodge, step, and deflect, and every hit stung my palms like striking a speeding car but it was that or die.


    I refused. I would not die here. I would not die before I killed Vega.


    His form grew sloppy, his footwork worse and finally, my punch sailed forth and crashed into his face.


    My punches were no longer that of a level [6] or [7]. They were no longer something that could be ignored. And Vincent¡¯s power level was the same as mine. It hit him like a wrecking ball, momentarily stopping the fierce flurry of his arms, and I took advantage.


    I jumped and used what I¡¯d learned from Ragual. My leg whipped back and tried to slam into his side. He raised an arm up to block. He gritted his teeth at the blow as his whole body seemed to shake like water and I quickly dashed backwards the moment I landed on the ground. I frowned. There was time to counter. He could¡¯ve, but he hadn¡¯t.


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    ¡°Strong.¡± He said, as if it was shocking.


    I frowned. Not just at his words. The look in his eyes was calmer now, less angry. That wasn¡¯t actually better for me, was it?


    I had a bad feeling about this.


    His hot gaze landed on me and I took a deep breath, assessing quickly. I could feel a dozen bruises across my body. Nothing broken, yet, but I already felt like I¡¯d been hit with fists a few times stronger than Ragual¡¯s Gut punch. That was shocking. My durability was night and day compared to before but still. Vincent was hitting me hard enough to crack stone.


    And my own kick! My leg still hurt like I¡¯d kicked an iron wall but the strength I¡¯d felt behind it, even in these clothes¡­


    What on Vega had we become?


    That¡¯s when I realized it. He wasn¡¯t talking about me when he said ¡®Strong.¡¯


    He was talking about himself.


    He launched forward, far more controlled this time, his footwork impeccable. His steps like a dance even as he ran. With the weight of the clothes, I could even see every single movement. This wasn¡¯t the work of a day or two, this was decades worth of practice in motion. Vincent was a trained warrior and I¡­ was not.


    It showed immediately.


    No longer like a raging bull, his hands moved like hammer blows, yes, but like ones wielded by snakes. Every movement connected, every motion in line with another, adapted in a moment against other movements. Heart, chest, kidney, chest again, liver, arm. I could see it, but I couldn¡¯t dodge it. His technique, his martial arts, it was like the hammering of an anvil. Like the forging done by a blacksmith.


    I was outclassed and he broke me.


    It felt like I was stuck in a quagmire of hell as every single punch connected and shook me, adding together, beating me down. I could feel all of my ribs start to crack, my arms start to give out from punches reigning down, and my body vibrate like a beaten piece of metal.


    It was as horrifying as it was brutal.


    My attempts to deflect failed, my feints were seen through, my kicks didn¡¯t give me any distance, or ended up with a nearly broken leg, and I felt like a helpless child before a merciless machine. It was a brutal, rough style, but it was still more than I had.


    Nothing I did was working! Nothing! I surged forward, trying to do something, anything, and received a blow like a shotgun to my face for the trouble. Another hit came, a final one and-


    I dodged at the last moment, somehow landing another hit, before the rain of blows continued and continued. I was smashed into the ground and only then, lying broken and beaten, did the punches stop.


    Blood pooled out my mouth, something inside me was very unhappy with me. My mind was busy with something else though.


    I had lost.


    I looked over to Master and-


    He was frowning. Heavily. While staring directly at me.


    Damn it.


    ******


    ¡°Well, you both suck.¡± Was the first thing he said.


    Both of our eyes widened at that. Me, I could get, but Vincent too? Vincent almost looked like he was offended.


    ¡°What, you learned a little bit and you think that makes you good Vincent? You won a single spar against a Village idiot.¡± Hey. ¡°And you think that makes you special? That¡¯s the wrong sort of pride to have. Do better. You are either barely competent warriors with no real training,¡± He looked at me and I had to resist the urge to scream ¡®What about our months of training then?!¡¯ before he turned to Vincent. ¡°Or no real combat experience.¡±


    I blinked at that. Surely, Vincent would¡¯ve fought other people right? Other spars, other battles. Why was Master implying he was as green as I was?


    ¡°Master¡­¡± Vincent spoke hesitantly. This might be the longest conversation the two had ever had. ¡°Does Mutai truly have no real training?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Why was I being talked about?


    ¡°He spent half a year fighting for his life down in the sewers. He learned on the job.¡±


    I nodded. Maybe that fact was surprising, though I don¡¯t think Vincent would understand. He hadn¡¯t exactly been in the city long before he got roped into this. It wouldn¡¯t be strange at all for him not to know how dangerous the sewers were-


    ¡°My clan¡­ has- Had heard of Vega City¡¯s sewers. How did he- Wait, his Power Level was [10] when I met him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he went in at Level [3].¡±


    Vincent stared at me in horror. Considering he just beat me black and blue, with plenty of red all over, I found the situation comical. Yeah, I survived something awful, but clearly it hadn¡¯t helped nearly that much, did it? Survival is just survival. Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to become some great fighter.


    My mood was a bit sour at the moment.


    ¡°I see¡­ truly, life or death experiences can turn anyone into a great warrior.¡±


    I slapped the back of Vincent¡¯s head. Asshole.


    ¡°Why?!¡±


    I ignored him, staring at Master.


    ¡°Well anyway, get to the healing tank you two. Should take less than an hour for any injuries of this level to go away. Then, you¡¯ll be fighting me.¡±


    What.


    ******


    Master stared at his two students as they walked away, his brows furrowed. Vincent did fine, that made sense, his Clan wasn¡¯t weak and were actually keeping up with being warriors. Well, before they were wiped out to one man.


    But Mutai¡­


    Where did he learn to fight like that? That doesn¡¯t make any sense. There was plenty there a novice shouldn¡¯t have been able to do. It wasn¡¯t beyond reason, he could¡¯ve trained down in the sewers, but even so¡­ that footwork didn¡¯t come from survival alone. He said he met people down there but did they train him more than he said?


    A sneaking suspicion grew in his heart but he quelled it.


    After all, he¡¯d know in about an hour after he beat the two of them to near death.

 Chapter 43: A Masters Beatdown

    My face was iron as I headed back up the stairs, only to head down a different set. Vincent followed me, his face looking¡­ conflicted.


    ¡°Mutai I¡­¡±


    I looked at him, wondering what he wanted to say.


    ¡°I am sorry. I-¡±


    ¡°Vincent. My brother in arms. I don¡¯t care. Not right now. We have far bigger things to worry about.¡±


    He looked confused for a moment.


    ¡°Surely, fighting Master will be tough but-¡±


    ¡°Vincent, I didn¡¯t choose to go into the sewers. He sent me there, with no training, at a Power Level of [3]. I nearly died over a dozen times. I spent half a year there and once even saw and nearly died to a creature over Power Level [100]. It wasn¡¯t even trying to attack me. Master never helped or even showed up once during that time. And you know what he said when I saw him again? ¡®So, you survived.¡¯ So, I¡¯m kind of busy here, thinking about how I¡¯m going to survive in an hour against him.¡±


    Vincent grew very quiet at that, which I was thankful for. Survival was one of the core things Master had taught me and I was going to need every ounce of that going up against him. I¡¯d never seen him fight but I strongly doubted I¡¯d be leaving without most of my body broken. He had a healing tank for a reason.


    Getting into the tank, I tried to relax. I needed to think and plan. Every moment that slipped by was a moment I could be thinking about how to survive. What struck me first was damage mitigation. I¡¯d seen it a little bit when I¡¯d struck Vincent the second time. He¡¯d leaned backwards, away from the strike. It felt like I¡¯d barely hit him compared to the first blow. That was what was going to be most important. If Master wanted to kill me, he could, but if he just wanted to beat me to near death, then I had to resist the damage with all my might. If I could just lean backwards and away a bit¡­ I¡¯d have better opportunities.


    What else? I didn¡¯t have a style of fighting, not one that would work on anything but rats and I didn¡¯t think Master would really let me bite him¡­ But I¡¯d seen others hadn¡¯t I? Ragual, with his toad kicks and maneuverability. Those damn turtles that had nearly killed me with their ninja movements. And Vincent, with his fierce flurry of striking blows. They each honed in on something worthwhile. I just had to think about them and figure out how I could copy some of them, even if just a little bit. I had to learn as much as I could from as much as I could or this might be my last hour on this planet.


    What if I¡­ I could try this or¡­ but what about¡­


    *****


    Vincent floated in the tank, eyes determined. The previous fight had been exhilarating but¡­ he¡¯d nearly lost all control. He wasn¡¯t simply trying to win. Despite it being a duel¡­ he¡¯d been trying to kill Mutai.


    The worst part was that he struggled to feel bad about it.


    He didn¡¯t want to kill Mutai. But his brother was an obstacle, blocking him from his revenge, always outdoing him. Even without being taught any martial arts, he was so monstrous in talent. To think real life combat could do so much¡­


    He¡¯d won the last spar and finally proven himself superior in the eyes of his Martial Arts Master but if he hadn¡¯t regained control of his emotions¡­ and even then. He didn¡¯t forget, the moment he¡¯d thought he¡¯d won, only to take another punch to the face. Mutai didn¡¯t fight like him, with the steady rhythm of punches breaking down any and all obstacles till they shattered before you. He fought like the winds and the waters. He moved smoothly, deflecting, dodging, and quick steps, until he lashed out like an iron destroying blow. His whole body seemed to be in sync too. He¡¯d kicked so hard that his arm still hurt and despite it not being on purpose, it seemed like he¡¯d been waiting for him to counter it.


    The memory of the fight, of the anger taking over, of the bloodlust and wanting to rip that stupid guy apart it-! He took a deep breath. He had to stay in control. It didn¡¯t help that every dodge and deflection against him had felt so damn irritating! It was like he learned instantly how to fight him. It was, disorientating.


    It made him want to head down to the sewers himself. Some real life and death combat was what he truly needed. They were each lacking in the ways the other had, just like the Master had said. If he could gain that life or death experience before Mutai could learn martial arts properly¡­


    It was a race but now the goal was different and Vincent found himself losing. How strange¡­ despite winning, he felt more pressured than ever. He had to learn the Master¡¯s teachings as fast as possible and then¡­


    He needed real combat.


    *****


    Beat Beat Beat Beat


    Vincent looked over in shock. Mutai looked unlike anything he¡¯d ever seen. He could hear his heartbeat. The look on his face was deadly. Usually, he seemed like a nice but annoying little brother in personality, despite pushing so hard that he was like a testament to willpower. Now he looked even more serious than when the two of them fought not even an hour ago.


    He followed after him, heading to the Arena.


    The moment they entered, he observed quickly. Master had changed from his typical clothes into a Gi very similar to theirs. It was black and grey with a red sash. He looked just as uncaring about the world as normal but his eyes locked onto the both of them the moment they appeared.


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    ¡°Ready?¡± He asked.


    Vincent¡¯s brows furrowed.


    ¡°Master, which of us will spar with you?¡± He asked.


    He raised an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°Both of course. Oh, and try your best or you¡¯ll die.¡±


    Mutai raised his arms, getting into a stance. He stretched his legs backward and both his palms were open, facing forward.


    Vincent prepared himself, getting into the Ironman¡¯s first stance. His Clan were metalworkers and warriors. They¡¯d long since learned how to combine these styles into one. As the last one of the clan, he would not disgrace their memory. He had learned the basics and he would use them to defeat Vega. Learning from a master and directly fusing the two styles¡­ it would be the only way to both honor them and reach the heights he so dreamed of. He must learn from this battle.


    He grimaced. This would be a rough spar. He had no idea how to fight with Mutai-


    ¡°Start.¡± Master said.


    Bang.


    Vincent stood in shock at the sound of an explosion going off. Slowly, he turned his head to the right. The more he saw, the more he realized, the more the shock wore off, the faster his breath came. His eyes shook and his breathing grew more and more erratic.


    The master stood where Mutai stood, a single palm outward.


    And beyond him¡­


    Cough


    Mutai¡­ had been embedded into the stone wall. He was leaking blood where broken bones had torn out of his shoulders and it poured out of his mouth. His back or spine being in one piece would be a miracle but even more horrifying was the palm print on his chest. It had hit so hard that it had destroyed his Gi and Vincent could see a bloody chest on the other side.


    Cough


    Another mouthful of blood was coughed up.


    ¡°Huh.¡± Master said. ¡°Good idea reducing the impact.¡±


    Reducing the impact?!


    Vincent felt like he was losing his mind.


    ¡°M-Master! How, what, how?!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you nearly killed him! How are we supposed to learn like this?¡±


    It felt insane that he was the voice of reason but this was too much! This was no longer training, this was a massacre. Had he used too much strength on accident? No, no it was clearly on purpose. How were they supposed to learn anything if they were killed in two blows?!


    ¡°Idiot. You need to learn it with your body of course. The Demon Style isn¡¯t something you learn in a classroom, it¡¯s something I put together through hundreds of thousands of fights. It¡¯s a bloody, deadly, lethal style of Martial Arts. Made to kill. There is no teaching it in stances or forms, no carefully controlled footwork or precise movements done in well formed steps. You have to learn all of those through combat itself.¡±


    A martial arts¡­ that had to be learned with the body?


    Vincent could see it. If you get attacked, fight, and beaten with something long enough, you¡¯ll begin to learn no matter what it is or what it was. There¡¯d probably be time between to start attempting to copy it. It wasn¡¯t a terrible way to learn and for a martial arts that was particularly bloodthirsty, maybe even necessary. The same way you couldn¡¯t learn martial arts just from reading a book, some styles had to be taught differently to be learned.


    But¡­


    ¡°But this is still too strong isn¡¯t it?!¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s meant to be Lethal. No point in the training if there¡¯s no risk of death.¡±


    Vincent felt like he was losing his mind. He¡¯d taken Mutai¡¯s words at face value but hadn¡¯t thought deeply enough on them. Their Master¡­ was an insane monster! His form of teaching was akin to a death sentence!


    ¡°I¡­ figured¡­¡± A small voice and the sound of rubble were heard.


    Immediately, Vincent turned back towards Mutai, amazed he was even talking. And in doing so, he realized something he¡¯d missed the first time around.


    His eyes.


    They weren¡¯t shaking, they weren¡¯t shocked or surprised, they weren¡¯t broken.


    They were glaring.


    ¡°I.. figured¡­ this would happen.¡±


    So saying, he gripped the wall and pulled himself out of it, never once breaking eye contact with the Master.


    ¡°Yes yes, you have the advantage of being a senior. Now, let¡¯s continue already.¡±


    *****


    I could feel my bones shredding my skin. My heart rate pumping blood that sprayed through me and out through my mouth. My spine felt, wrong. I was thankful I could even stand. Everything hurt and I couldn¡¯t even assess what was broken or damaged properly. My chest hurt the worst though. That blow¡­ I¡¯d barely seen it. No, had I even seen it? I¡¯d reacted on instinct and it¡¯d saved my life.


    And yet I¡¯d still nearly died from one blow.


    Fucking¡­ Master¡­


    My thoughts had been right about how to fight, at least a little, but they¡¯d been too slow. I had to be faster. I had to be faster, right now.


    I stared at Master and-


    He disappeared again. Yet my instincts said nothing! Panic flared before-


    Bang.


    The sound of an explosion. Briefly, I saw Vincent¡¯s broken form crushed into stone, before I was moving quickly. A hit slammed into my shoulder and immediately, I could feel every bone in it shatter. The agony was almost blinding, almost making me miss the follow up. A quick leap back ended with the same shoulder slamming into the wall.


    ¡°Mm, ring is a bit small.¡±


    I resisted the urge to scream in agony as the old man practically teleported at me again. An open hand came for my chest again and my mind sparked in panic. Too strong. Too strong! Death felt like it was nipping at my heels. Too fast, too close, too-


    I thrust a palm to meet it and darkness was the final thing I saw.


    *****


    The Master frowned. Looking at the two broken, beaten, unconscious forms. He had only one thought in his head.


    His disciples sucked.

 Chapter 44: A New and Awful form of "Training"

    Waking up hurt. Even breathing hurt. I was back in the tank, my injuries and pain rapidly dissipating like evaporating water. I¡¯d failed. Well, was there even any chance of success? I should be happy Master had brought me back to the tank. That last blow¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure it completely destroyed my entire arm.


    I sighed.


    It¡¯s not like I thought I had become super powerful or anything. No matter how hard I worked out, I knew how far I had to go. But still¡­ two heavy losses in the same day wasn¡¯t exactly great. This Mutai was more so punching bag than any kind of fierce warrior¡­


    I took a moment just to breathe, even if it was breath filled with life saving water. In here was the only time I got to relax really. And it felt like I¡¯d been doing nothing but constantly moving since¡­ for a very, very long time. From the moment I got out of the sewers, all levity and relaxation had seemed to vanish.


    From spending my days training till I bled, to Vincent showing up and showing just how much blood, sweat, and tears I had to go. To finally getting worthy enough in strength to be able to just barely, maybe, learn Master¡¯s martial arts and then getting absolutely destroyed by my fellow training partner and then my Master. How long has it been this time? How long has it been since I simply sat down and did something that wasn¡¯t fighting, training, or trying to survive?


    And yet¡­ I felt¡­


    ¡®So Happy.¡¯


    It didn¡¯t make any sense but my heart beat like a drum. I could feel a smile growing on my face. Something was becoming wrong with me, I could tell, but facts were eating at my mind.


    I stayed ahead of Vincent, the whole way through. All the way till he beat my ass, I stayed ahead of him. I pushed myself harder and overall, I came out the winner. If our training in physique was a competition, I had just barely won. That sense of victory was, amazing. But that paled compared to the next parts.


    Fighting Vincent.


    I hadn¡¯t had time before to take it in, but he was amazing. He didn¡¯t need any practical insertions of needing power, his rage and hatred were what carried him. Combined with his past training and learning of martial arts from his family that still carried over¡­ it was unlike anything I¡¯d ever fought before. The closest would be the turtles but it was different. The turtles had also definitely trained, to a higher degree than almost anyone I knew in terms of technique and skill, but Vincent was just simply more. He followed a style, had precise footwork, and was at a level I could barely understand. It felt like just fighting him once was worth a million battles with all the ideas he had given me.


    And fighting Master¡­


    I was in awe. He moved so fast and hit so hard but that wasn¡¯t all. That was something any beast could do. No, what made me stare at him like a devilish god was how he moved. I caught snippets of it and his hits were¡­ perfect. They were utterly perfect. His every muscle, his every movement, his every footstep and reaction. Even from simple movements, it was clear. He had forgotten a hundred times more about martial arts than I had ever known.


    I could feel my mind practically crashing just trying to understand him. Even now, moments after being crushed, I could feel it. Just how¡­ awful I fought. Just how terrible. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of power, I had barely controlled my body at all. Had barely messed with my breathing, my stance, and, hell, even my ¡®aura¡¯ or how I held myself was all just, wrong. It was like I had unknowingly taken a very, very long test and got almost all the answers wrong.


    It was humbling, it was amazing, and it made me so utterly happy for some strange reason. Despite not relaxing for what felt like forever¡­ I didn¡¯t want to. No, maybe, it was more right to say I absolutely desired nothing more than one thing.


    I wanted to fight again and again.


    It was almost more intoxicating than when I¡¯d gained my first increase in power level. This wasn¡¯t simply an increase in my strength, speed, or durability. This wasn¡¯t represented with any kind of numerical numbers, but it felt like it meant all the more for that. Because of that. Master had said that it was difficult for those weaker to beat those stronger and I was finally truly feeling out why that was. But with strength and technique, the amount of difference you could win against grew. I¡¯d won against stronger foes before, but this was, unlike anything I¡¯d found in the sewer except for Ragual. How high could I reach? How much could technique and skill alone bridge the gap? What about combined with a higher power? With both¡­


    I wanted to keep going and going, to fight all sorts, to feel myself improve more and more.


    What even was this? When did I become such a, such a battle maniac? But something was just, it felt, right. Like I was expanding, growing, that I was becoming better, ascending. I could feel it, tell it. I knew more. I could fight better and better. I felt great! I could win! It sent a thrill up my spine, the idea of fighting thousands of different opponents and improving and improving after each and every one. I could finally see it, why so many people loved fighting others. It wasn¡¯t simply about them, it was about cultivating your own self higher in all ways. Constant improvement, constant learning, constant lessons. Becoming more of who you are. No, a better version! Like, like evolution.


    There were no words but by the time I got out of the tank, I knew one thing for certain.


    I wanted to fight more and more!


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    To grow!


    To see just what kind of heights I could achieve!


    *****


    Wishes were rarely granted and even less with good intentions¡­


    ¡°You both suck.¡±


    The moment the tank opened, those were the words hitting my ears. I hadn¡¯t even noticed Master standing there beyond the glass. Maybe he hadn¡¯t been. Before either me or Vincent could put on our clothes or look at each other, let alone get a word in edgewise, Master was ranting at us.


    ¡°No, like, truly. You both are terrible. Vincent, you went down in one blow. A single damn blow. That¡¯s just¡­ ugh. I¡¯m not gonna be as nice the second time around. If you don¡¯t take this seriously again, I promise you, you will die.¡±


    ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°And you.¡± He said, before turning to me.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Uhh, what?


    ¡°I, uhh-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all over the place. There¡¯s hints of different ideas all around you, like you¡¯re trying to combine a bunch of different things together. More annoyingly, it seems to be working. But that¡¯s no way to learn. I train body and then skills but clearly, that was a mistake with you. You don¡¯t have any of the basics down at all and you¡¯re trying to pull off things you have no right trying. It¡¯s no wonder you used Ki so early with that kind of mindset. You¡¯re going to become nothing but a mess of a martial artist at this rate. From now on, I want you to copy my moves exactly when we fight.¡±


    ¡°But Master I-¡±


    ¡°You better have some very good words about to come out of your mouth.¡±


    Oh. Master was angry. Oh shit. Oh fuck. I quickly changed my words and then changed them again. I¡¯d rarely seen Master angry and I didn¡¯t want to see what he¡¯d do in anger after I¡¯d felt what he¡¯d done calmly.


    ¡°...How am I supposed to know how to dodge and maneuver if I¡¯m just trying to copy you?¡±


    There was more to fighting than just attacking. A ton more. If Master really wanted me to stop trying to adjust with my past information¡­ sure. But if we were going to fight again, I wouldn¡¯t have the time to learn those things. It wasn¡¯t like Master was going to go on the defensive-


    ¡°I¡¯ll go on the defensive, with blocks, dodges, and more. That was the intention anyway. You both need to learn all of the Demon Style, so pay attention next time. Especially to my footwork, if you can see it. Now, come on.¡±


    He gestured to our clothes, fresh and new. Did he just have a ton of these weighted clothes around? All in our size? How many warehouses did he own for that to be possible? How many were we going to destroy in the name of training? Did he have dedicated cleaning staff or was this another form of Ki techniques?


    I shook off my empty headed thoughts and began to move to our clothes.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Came a voice.


    I turned to see Vincent looking surprised and shocked.


    ¡°What are¡­ what are you two¡­ Are we going to fight again? Right now?¡±


    He stared at Master, as if in horror.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Master said, looking slightly dumbfounded. ¡°Did you think yourself a God, able to learn my whole style in one fight against me?¡±


    ¡°No, not that, I mean. You¡­¡± Vincent looked like he was on the verge of going insane. ¡°Are you going to take it easier on us from now on?¡±


    ¡°No? Of course not.¡±


    ¡°We¡­ We just got out of the tank. Out of healing nearly life threatening injuries because of you. And we¡¯re just going to, go back to fighting against you, right away? No teaching, no taking time to learn anything? No mediating? Just another deadly fight?¡±


    ¡°See Mutai, this is why you at least have perseverance going for you. It took you far longer to ask these really stupid questions and try to give up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not giving up!¡± Vincent seemed to practically ignite at those words. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand! When are we going to meditate on your teachings?!¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re in the tank.¡±


    ¡°And when are we going to rest?!¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re in the tank.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ what about¡­¡± Vincent seemed to be grasping at straws. ¡°What about food?¡±


    I perked up at that, staring at Master.


    He snorted.


    ¡°Fine, one meal, lunch. The rest is going to be syringe nutrition to be that lazy. We have a whole lot of work to do.¡±


    I nodded. It was awful, terrible, and going to be absolutely brutal. But at least I¡¯d have one meal. Even that much felt like a grace from god considering how angry Master seemed to be at our earlier performance.


    ¡°That¡­ Mutai, this is insane. Even more than our last form of training. We could really die.¡±


    I scratched my cheek, not knowing what to say.


    Wait, yes I did.


    ¡°But it works.¡±


    Vincent seemed to shut up at that. Yes, it was awful and brutal. The first three weeks I¡¯d trained under him had been almost harder than the sewers. But there was a reason I let this insane bastard train me even after nearly getting me killed so many times. It worked. My power level was approaching heights I¡¯d never imagined, I was finally learning how to fight properly, and eventually, Master would even teach me how to use Ki.


    It was working.


    Vincent knew that. He could feel that. How long must he have trained, only to suddenly grow to nearly twice the power level he¡¯d entered the city at? Even I knew that wasn¡¯t normal. There was no way he¡¯d chosen to stay at [10] all his life. Master¡¯s training was just that damn effective.


    ¡°You¡¯re both insane.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± I said, as Master continued walking away. ¡°Now, let¡¯s hurry up and start.¡±


    ******


    Two minutes later.


    As I struggled to stay conscious, both my arms broken and my jaw shattered, I realized my folly.


    I should have never wished to fight more.

 Chapter 45: A Pep Talk

    Master did not go easy on us.


    No. No he did not.


    ¡°Dodge Vincent!¡± I yelled, the words a luxury as I slammed my fist into Master¡¯s blocking arm. It pained me, but every single block and movement was for my benefit. It was most certainly not because he thought he had to. So I tried to memorize and memorize and memorize some more. Doing so with a broken leg and a hole through my side where my kidney used to be was hard.


    Vincent tried to dodge, he did, but like the last seven times, Master hit him once and he went down. Not like a sack of potatoes, but like a wrecking ball being torn from its chain at the speed of a bullet. He¡¯d at least dodged a little, positioning himself away from the walls, but that just meant he skipped across the stone ground like a rock across water before faceplanting into the stone.


    I was growing frustrated with him. Not because he was so clearly failing, but because he had kicked my ass and then done it. I didn¡¯t know what it was but for some reason, I reacted better to Master. I could actually ¡°fight¡± him for more than a single blow at least. Maybe Master was just really not holding back against Vincent or had higher standards for him. Either way, it felt humiliating in some way. I didn¡¯t feel like I was doing any better than him, yet he was going down first, every time, and so easily.


    Any thoughts unrelated to fighting fled out of me as a Fist, not an empty palm but a terrifying Fist, came towards me.


    My danger senses flared, almost as hard as when I¡¯d fought the ninjas, and I threw out the only block that would work right now. The one I¡¯d only just seen Master do.


    My entire right side collapsed like a deflated balloon, my arm broke again, and my skull still took enough of the brunt to crack. I felt my eye pop and screamed in agony as I slammed into the wall and took even more damage.


    And yet I had to move immediately as a foot from hell nearly crushed my head. The time between me hitting the wall and the stomp of the foot was less than half a second. This was insane, even for Master. And no longer was there a nonchalant look on his face. Only a look of concentration and anger.


    The next palm attack came forward and-


    ******


    I awoke, unknowing of how long. Master was getting meaner and meaner. I was truly feeling the power and lethality behind the Demon Style. It wasn¡¯t just that Master was strong that made everything so terrifying. With how he was lowering his strength and speed, it couldn¡¯t have been any more than double our own power level. No, it was that every muscle seemed to move exactly as he wanted, into a flawless ferocious attack. More than an assassin, a warrior, or even a wild animal, all of which I¡¯d fought¡­ I felt like I was truly fighting a Demon. If even a little part of me was lacking, I¡¯d find myself dead. My heart torn out, my skull shattered, my arm destroyed in just the right ways, in just the right places, to make it impossible to dodge the next killing blows. Every single move was a demonic attack meant to end my life. It was utterly horrifying, in so, so many ways.


    And yet¡­


    It felt like I¡¯d been a frog in a well. No, like, like I¡¯d never used my brain at any point. No, it felt, it felt like I¡¯d not had eyes and suddenly learned to see. Yeah, that one was it. I had no idea Martial Arts could be so much¡­ much. From the major to the minor. To the stances, the way he breathed, the way he reacted and responded. I¡¯d seen the muscles in his arm move precisely, almost as if in a formation, just as he hit me and as he pulled back from the hit. I¡¯d seen his breathing follow with, his next moves as if the next a thousand all led into one another. It was true Mastery. He hadn¡¯t simply made a Style, he¡¯d perfected it.


    It was so awe inspiring just to watch, let alone feel it against my body. It felt like what a man finding religion must feel like. I wanted it. I wanted the Demon Style so fucking bad. It was what I could use not only to ascend myself higher, but to also beat Vega with. But yet¡­ it was so far beyond me. It felt like I was seeing a million books on a series written over hundreds and hundreds of years, made by a whole civilization''s worth of people, and all the while I was struggling to even understand the first page. And yet every time I advanced even a little bit, tried even a few new things, Master would move differently, use a new small part of the style, and my whole world would be blown wide open.


    As bizarre as it was to say, despite nearly dying multiple times in the first two days¡­ this might be the most enjoyable training I¡¯d ever had with Master. I¡¯d have gotten an actual job (bleh) and paid money for this kind of opportunity. My mind must have broken and become twisted to find such enjoyment in being so utterly destroyed but it revealed so much! I could feel myself becoming more!


    ¡°How can you smile?¡± Vincent said, a rage I hadn¡¯t heard before entering his voice.


    I looked over at him, fresh from the tank, and he looked¡­ he looked tired. I¡¯d seen him physically exhausted but he looked like a dying candle.


    ¡°Vincent?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ He¡¯s killing us Mutai. I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t even land one blow! No, I can¡¯t even take one blow! It¡¯s, it¡¯s just endless pain and torment! Endless torture! We¡¯re just¡­ I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m so helpless¡­¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The look on Vincent¡¯s face¡­ it was new. It was so anguished and so, so full of self hate that it shook me to my core. It felt like I was staring at a man a moment away from breaking into tears and strangling himself to death all at once. I approached, cautiously, worried that his actual life might be hanging off an edge.


    ¡°...Vincent?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Mutai, I don¡¯t. I can¡¯t, I don¡¯t get it. I can¡¯t¡­ I¡¯m trying Mutai. Why can¡¯t I hit him?! WHY CAN¡¯T I TAKE A SINGLE PUNCH?!¡±


    He threw a punch then, slamming into the stone wall. I winced as he punched a hole in it.


    ¡°I have to kill Vega. I have to. I have to kill him, he murdered my family. He burned them alive. He, he, he¡­¡±


    Vincent shook, his whole body rippling. My face grew grim. I grabbed his shoulder, feeling his shuddering body beneath my palm.


    ¡°Vincent. Sit down.¡±


    ¡°We need-¡±


    ¡°Sit down Vincent.¡±


    I dragged him to the ground with me, his body giving plenty of resistance but not stopping me. We sat there, naked, our tanks nearby. Vincent wasn¡¯t crying, but the anguish was all the more telling for that. There was far more than just depression in those eyes and face. There was a madness there. Vincent had had a direction, a goal, and progress. Now he was stalling out. He may be getting stronger but being killed in one blow repeatedly¡­ trauma hides but it doesn¡¯t go away. People, especially warriors, are not immune to breakdowns.


    Vincent had lost his whole family, his whole people, in a brutal, awful, terrifying way. The training and revenge had helped push it away but¡­ it couldn¡¯t run forever.


    I grimaced, remembering my own mental breakdowns. There had not been just one over the years and they had been far more devastating. The tears, the screams, the nightmares, the sobbing, the feeling of wanting it all to end, and my family had gone almost silently, mostly painlessly.


    It wasn¡¯t the same for Vincent.


    This was what I¡¯d been trying to prevent that first day I¡¯d reached out a hand. These horrible feelings that threatened to destroy you.


    ¡°Hey, Vincent.¡±


    ¡°...What.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t even look at me, simply staring down into the ground, eyes lost.


    ¡°You know how many times I passed out in my first three weeks here, punching a bag that wouldn¡¯t even move? God, it had to be¡­ well it was a lot. A stiff breeze knocked me out back at that power level. And, I never got any stronger. My number never changed and I was never learning anything new. I wanted to quit the first day and then I really wanted to quit the first week. I kept going and going, even after weeks and weeks of it. There were no breaks, just, wake up, punch, wake up, punch. No food, no drink, just that. To exhaustion, every day. Yet I kept going. For three weeks. And then¡­ I exploded at Master. Punched him until I was exhausted. And do you know what words he said that kept me going for so long?¡±


    His eyes looked up at me, seeking answers. Full of faint hope.


    I smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Vega is going to kill you.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    He stared at me in disbelief.


    ¡°I think I realized it then. That for me¡­ there wasn¡¯t going to be such a thing as a third chance. Even if I was power level [1]... I was still going to find Vega and fight him, even if it killed me. I don¡¯t think¡­ it¡¯s different for you. You can¡¯t give up or stop, can you? You¡¯re going to find him and fight him. And then he¡¯s going to kill you. You¡¯re so focused on your family and your revenge but, you¡¯ll never get there if you die right? You have to live to kill a monster, usually. So, what¡¯s the alternative? Either you die getting stronger here or you die fighting Vega.¡±


    ¡°But Mutai-! I¡­ I¡¯m not getting stronger! I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m just dying.¡±


    I chuckled. Vincent looked appalled.


    ¡°I said the exact same thing after three weeks and you know what I was? Wrong. And so are you. Even if you can¡¯t see a light at the end of the tunnel Vincent¡­ at least there¡¯s a tunnel.¡±


    I let all of my pain and despair coat those last words. I remembered, I remembered what it was like without any direction. The years of pain and misery. Of never being able to truly get any stronger.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Vincent, but do you think you have the luxury to give up?¡±


    My words seemed to hit him like a hammer.


    ¡°I¡¯m not giving up. I just¡­¡±


    I stood up.


    ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee you¡¯re getting stronger and that scares you. Oh well.¡±


    ¡°...oh well?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll either get stronger or you¡¯ll die. Whether to Master or Vega.¡±


    My words were cold, like a knife.


    ¡°So get up brother and face death a thousand times. Even if you fall ten thousand times, keep going, because the moment you stop getting up¡­ you¡¯re going to die. One day you¡¯ll be stronger or you¡¯ll be dead.¡±


    He looked at me. Truly looked at me. And snorted, before standing up.


    ¡°And you, my wordy brother? Oh what lies in your fate?¡± He asked as we both got dressed.


    I looked at him like he was an idiot.


    ¡°I keep telling you and you keep seeming to not believe me. But sure, I¡¯ll say it again.¡±


    Staring at him in my Gi, I spoke the same words, yet again.


    ¡°I am going to kill Vega.¡±


    He breathed out his nose as he followed me up and down into the killing room. I mean, training arena.


    As we both took in Master, he simply shook his head.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even beat Master yet you arrogant guy.¡±


    I grimaced at the stern expression on Master¡¯s face. He seemed even angrier than last time. I winced. Clearly, he didn¡¯t like to be kept waiting.


    ¡°Trust me, I¡¯m working on it¡­¡±

 Chapter 46: A Masters Anger

    I was hoping Master¡¯s fury had been temporary. But it just kept racketing up!


    ¡°Vincent, tackle him!¡±


    It had been two weeks now and to both my and Vincent¡¯s relief, he¡¯d somehow learned to take a blow. His record was surviving two blows now and if we were lucky, he¡¯d finally be able to take three-


    Bang.


    Or not. His body immediately disappeared with a wave of Master¡¯s hand, teleporting him directly to the tank. He¡¯d begun doing that after the first week, not because he wanted to or out of any kind of sympathy, but because he had to or we were going to start dying. The battles were unlike anything I¡¯d ever experienced. Even just sitting in my tank, I could practically feel the killing intent through the walls. I couldn¡¯t sense Ki but I felt like I could feel Master¡¯s boiling like lava.


    Were- Were we not getting stronger fast enough?! I knew Vincent was a bit slow, but I had been doing good! Master-


    A punch like a hurricane came slamming into me, enough force to actually punch a hole clean through me. I dodged, having copied just a tiny amount of the amazing footwork Master had shown. It was like I was following a legendary manual, my muscles bending at all the correct angles, my breathing matching the movements, my whole body putting force and pressure across itself in just the right ways. I practically disappeared as a result. Even I was in awe at the speed and power I¡¯d gained. It had nothing to do with my slowly growing power level and all with using my body the right way.


    The me of today, through footwork, dodges, and punches alone¡­ could obliterate me of two weeks ago. There would be no contest. I could truly feel what Master had meant when he¡¯d said we¡¯d sucked. If this was my level after only two weeks¡­ what would two months do? Two years? I¡¯d barely comprehended a fraction of all the things Master was doing, and I was sure that without being able to sense Ki, I¡¯d never fully understand. And yet this was what it had caused in me. How much it had changed me.


    I flashed forward, taking the offensive, my movements equally demonic. I could feel my fist changing, the way it acted, the way it moved, the way my whole body put itself into it. I¡¯d meditated in the tank long and hard. On everything. The most recent thing I was trying to do felt insane but also right. Manipulating my own blood. My body was my body, we were all one being¡¯s in whole. Manipulating my blood fully was impossible but¡­ not totally. Even the average person could simply raise their heart rate and increase their blood flow. All I was trying to do was to make sure it all went in the right places in the right amounts at the right time.


    I¡¯d been doubting myself but when my fist hit and I felt how much stronger it was than normal-!


    There was a flash of movement and-


    Agony. Pain. Confusion. Fear. Danger.


    I was in the healing tank. I didn¡¯t understand, as sensations I¡¯d never felt before erupted across me. My mind stuttered and stumbled and I looked down- And I looked down- and- and I- I- And-


    My chest was gone. The entire right of my chest was just¡­ gone. Even as the tank worked desperately to heal me¡­ I felt my life on the edge of death. The tanks were miracles but, but they had limits. This was near the limit. I could feel the tank itself changing, an emergency mode, as it fiercely tried to heal me. Flesh reknit in real time and- and I could feel my power level almost going down. My body¡­ was getting weaker, healing me so absolutely before I¡¯d been in my most recent fight. I was losing physical gains.


    My mind blanked out, as I fiercely held onto consciousness, trying to figure out how to survive. I could see my lung regrowing but, blood. I, breathing. I needed to stay calm. A calm body, to help the healing, I-


    I needed to sleep.


    I closed my eyes, pushing past the pain, past the agony and fear and desperation, finding peace in the warm waters. The flowing waters of life. In the way my body was, every inch of muscle, every sway of it in the water. Peace. Remember my birthday, the happy times, my family''s warm smiles. Relax. Relax.


    I smiled and let darkness truly take me.


    ******


    When I woke up, I stared at my chest in horror. It had been healed, but that wasn¡¯t the problem. The memories slammed into me like a meteor. I¡¯d been about to die. I¡¯d really been about to die after Master had thrown one punch and destroyed half my damn torso. Worse than that¡­ worse than everything else¡­


    I¡¯d dodged.


    He¡¯d been aiming for my heart.


    Cold white terror gripped me. I¡¯d been so close to death. Too close. Closer than I¡¯d ever been and it hadn¡¯t been against a rabid wild animal or some insane creature. It hadn¡¯t even been in a fight or a duel or something truly trying to kill me. It had nearly been because of a training accident.


    My heart beat so hard and my eyes shook in utter terror.


    I could¡¯ve died. No, no I could¡¯ve really died right then and there. Another moment before I got teleported, one less dodge, not relaxing my body enough to help the vital life giving waters along and¡­ and, that would¡¯ve been the end of Mutai. Killed by an angry master by accident.


    It was less than two weeks ago I¡¯d told Vincent to get stronger or die, more or less, and yet here I was, about to die to something so stupid. I felt so, utterly helpless. Slowly, as the terror poured its way out of me and my breathing calmed, reality reasserted itself.


    Master was angry.


    Master was nearly killing us.


    An angry Master might not be able to fully hold back¡­


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    By the time the tank opened and my feet met stone again, I knew the answer. I had to calm Master down! It wasn¡¯t simply a matter of helping out, it was a literal matter of life or death!


    ¡°Mutai?¡± Vincent asked, looking at me. He seemed fine, no worse for wear besides the normal, but that wasn¡¯t any kind of reassurance. I remembered how he had needed to start being teleported immediately.


    ¡°Vincent.¡± I said, face serious.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ we need to calm Master down or we¡¯re going to die.¡±


    He raised his eyebrows at that but it wasn¡¯t like he had much to say. The most helpless shrug in the world was my only response as well. After all, who on Vega knew why Master was so pissed?! Was it us? But we were really trying our best! His expectations can¡¯t possibly be that high can it?! Maybe it was something else¡­


    ¡°Do you think Sherlock Sluts got canceled or something?¡± I asked Vincent.


    I received a look from Vincent unlike anything I¡¯d ever seen. Complete bafflement along with utter disgust.


    ¡°Mutai¡­¡± He said, voice laced with, well, a lot but mostly disappointment. ¡°You watch that?¡±


    ¡°Hey! No! Master does. Maybe that¡¯s the reason he''s been so angry recently.¡±


    ¡°I thought it might¡¯ve just been my imagination since he keeps breaking me down so hard. Is he really that angry? It¡¯s hard to tell since I can barely last a moment.¡± He said, voice laced with bitterness.


    ¡°He nearly killed me.¡±


    ¡°So? He does that nearly ten times a day.¡± Vincent looked and replied deadpan.


    ¡°No, I mean like, really nearly killed me. The tank almost didn¡¯t put me back together. He destroyed half my chest¡­ and he was aiming for my heart.¡±


    Vincent¡¯s face grew dead serious.


    ¡°What did you do to piss him off so much?¡±


    ¡°ME?! Can¡¯t it be you? You¡¯re one that can barely last two blows.¡± I said.


    ¡°First off, fuck you. Second off, it¡¯s clear that he considers you more important than me. Despite him hitting me so hard it obliterates me, I doubt my lacking performance alone would be the cause. Or I¡¯d probably be dead.¡±


    I had to admit, it held up. If Master was simply pissed with Vincent, Vincent would probably not be lasting two blows. Master wasn¡¯t above letting out some of his frustrations. No, no he was clearly hitting me harder or at least doing more with me.


    ¡°I still have no idea how can you last so long against him. It¡¯s truly an Enigma of talent.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any idea what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯ve told you, you just have to move right. You barely copy any of Master¡¯s style from what I¡¯ve seen. It¡¯s probably your decades of training in your Clan¡¯s style that¡¯s messing you up.¡±


    ¡°Is learning someone else¡¯s style so easy? You make it look as simple as swimming through water.¡±


    I shrugged. It¡¯s not like I was talented, I was just a fresh slate while he was carved stone. It was going to take him a while to unlearn and relearn, far longer than it was going to take me to learn something new. It wasn¡¯t a surprise but that didn¡¯t mean I was learning that much faster. After all¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think if I were some kind of talented man, Master would be cutting me some slack?¡±


    Vincent had no reply to that.


    *****


    As we made our way down to the training arena, I saw only more anger on Master¡¯s face. No apology, no acknowledgment, just an unbelievably intense killing intent. I felt my heartbeat speed up staring into those normally cold and dead eyes.


    It was like¡­ it was like I waking up something that should not be awoken.


    It was almost divine how I knew that if I kept going like this, I¡¯d be killed. Or worse. I realized in that moment, as Master stared at me with flames in his eyes, that whatever it was, was definitely me. I had done something to piss him off.


    And I had no idea how to fix it.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Master said, his voice practically a growl.


    Oh fuck, oh no, oh fuck. I was moments from death, I could practically feel the world slowing to a halt as the image of a fist going through my heart seemed to be overlaid through my vision. I could see it, moments away, seconds ticking down in slowed motion as Master finally killed me. My danger sense exploded.


    My mouth moved faster than any other part of me, a barely remembered hope reverberating in me.


    Master always answered your questions truthfully.


    ¡°WHY ARE YOU SO ANGRY?!¡±


    Master froze, his frown deepening and deepening as he stared right at me, the tension thick in the air. Vincent actually took a few steps away from me the same way someone would flee a raging fire.


    Those eyes¡­ they pierced into me, dissected me, thought of a million different ways of killing me and destroying me. Master in that moment looked like nothing more than a Demon of Death. And then-


    He sagged, letting out a huff and a breath. It looked like all the energy had suddenly fled him. He was silent for some time before looking up at me, annoyance still coating his eyes.


    ¡°You¡­¡± He said.


    My heart beat, wondering what on Vega I could have possibly done. Was I, was I really learning too slowly?! Did he have higher expectations for me than Vincent? Did I need to learn even faster? I thought I was going at an okay pace but I hardened my heart to put in a hundred times the effort in and-


    ¡°You learn too fast.¡±


    What?


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You learn too damn fast! Do you have any idea how hard I¡¯ve worked for my Demon Style? How many hundreds of thousands of battles I¡¯ve been in? There¡¯s been entire decades where I had to do nothing but learn to fight or die, every single moment! I had to go through countless journeys across the planet and farther just to get as good as I am. The amount of things I¡¯ve done, learned, and experienced is more than anything you could possibly imagine. I have lived for over five hundred years and you just- You-! You! You learn everything so simply, like swimming through water! It¡¯s a disgrace to me! What kind of monster are you?! A high potential is nothing compared to how you seem to tear apart everything you see, perfectly replicate it, add your own enhancements, and then figure out things you couldn¡¯t possibly know like you¡¯re reading a book. You¡¯ve already learned three years worth of training in two weeks! At this rate, you¡¯ll learn my whole damn style in less than two years. That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s¡­ insane! My whole life¡¯s work, my whole life¡¯s work! Five hundred years worth of effort, of battles, of uncountable numbers of life and death experiences, learned in only two years.¡±


    Master huffed and puffed after his rant while I stared, mouth wide open, shocked to my core.


    ¡°You¡­ are a monster. And you make me feel like I¡¯ve wasted over five hundred years of my life.¡±


    He sagged, looking totally spent.


    ¡°Just¡­ what kind of being and creature even are you?¡±


    My mouth opened and closed but no sound came out.


    For once¡­ I was speechless.

 Chapter 47: Mutais Hidden Talent

    I stared, mouth agape at Master. My mind was in turmoil as I saw Master slump like a truly defeated old man for once. There was too much, I just, what? What on Vega was even going on? I was¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± My mind tried to put it together, the words into meanings. ¡°Talented?¡±


    ¡°Talented he says!¡± Master huffed. ¡°Do you also call a rocket a little fast or the moon a little big? Talented. I¡¯ve met a few people like you before, but never to this extent! You freak. It activates all the warrior pride and blood in my body. Just looking at you¡­¡±


    Master stared at me and I felt a pure and unadulterated wave of killing intent. It nearly brought me to my knees.


    ¡°Is starting to piss me off.¡±


    That was¡­ I¡­


    My heart beat like a drum but I tried to understand, to think. Master was saying I was¡­ really good at¡­ at what exactly? Learning? No way. I wasn¡¯t stupid but I still remembered growing up, struggling to learn math. Still remembered getting annoyed at trying to make a proper vegetable farm and ruining it the first few times I tried, before realizing that gardening just wasn¡¯t for me. So, I wasn¡¯t good at learning, I was good at-


    ¡°Martial arts? Wait, fighting? Wait, wait Master. I¡¯m trying to understand. I¡¯m, I¡¯m good at learning martial arts or, no, I, I¡¯m good at fighting?¡±


    At those words, Master looked ready to strangle me and I shut up immediately.


    ¡°You ignorant piece of shit. You¡¯re so talented that it makes me want to spit a mouthful of blood and you don¡¯t even realize it?¡±


    It took Master a moment to calm down. During that moment, neither I nor Vincent moved a single muscle. It was like being inside a cage with a Monster beyond all reason. One that was truly angry. All of my senses were not only screaming that I was in danger, but that I was in front of something that was going to kill me at any moment. Remembering how Master had destroyed half my chest in one move, logic agreed. Cold sweat poured down my body. I felt sick to my stomach as I waited for this Demon to decide not to kill his students.


    Finally, Master breathed out a calm breath.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He said, voice still tinged with annoyance. ¡°You are ¡®good at fighting¡¯. Specifically, you ignoramus, you learn quickly and the quality of your learning is¡­ fucking insane. You, ugh. Imagine it as if I taught you that one plus one is two. Then, you figure out that means that one plus two is three, without ever hearing about three. So you keep adding, getting to ten. Then, you figure out that you can ¡®add¡¯ numbers more than once and figure out multiplication. Then division. So then I teach algebra and you come back knowing geometry, with early knowledge of calculus. Are you getting it yet?¡±


    ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°Oh no, you aren¡¯t. Because it doesn¡¯t end there. When we first fought, you were a weirdly whole mess. You were clearly pulling from multiple things. I simply thought someone trained you in the sewers but that''s impossible. If someone had, I would¡¯ve known immediately given your unreasonable talent. You simply saw, copied, and learned on your own. Do you think that''s easy? For God¡¯s sake Mutai, you were copying my blood flow. That¡¯s not a concept you should even be able to learn. The only literal way is you must¡¯ve seen my veins pulsating at different intervals and heard my blood moving and simply tried and it worked. Your comprehension of things relating to combat is obscene, and you¡¯re able to combine things with only some thought and tinkering. Half the Master¡¯s in this city would¡¯ve already run out of things to teach you.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°No, shut up. It¡¯s like you¡¯re a ten thousand year old monster who learned all of Martial Arts, only to forget it. Really think back to every fight you¡¯ve had Mutai, do they seem normal to you?¡±


    I wanted to, I don¡¯t know. Sit down, flee, do anything but have my worldview repeatedly shattered. Was I¡­ really so different? I thought about my fights and¡­ the rats had taught me aggression. But those were just, wild animals. I wasn¡¯t a good fighter then and copying a wild animal was nothing special. Then Ragual¡­ I had learned quickly in our fight I guess? I¡¯d fought well against him and, well, won. But was it, really that strange? I¡¯d simply blocked and moved and well, copied him. Then the turtles-


    I grimaced. I remembered the turtles. So dangerous we¡¯d had to flee and go back for armor and more. How I¡¯d had to light myself on fire-


    Hand. Burning. Death.


    I shook as I remembered, how I¡¯d seen my death playing out, how I¡¯d known I was about to be disembowled. How I knew what the one with the staff would do right after, how I¡¯d known how many hits were left on my armor. But, but that wasn¡¯t the only time was it? When I¡¯d known things that had felt nearly like future vision. I hadn¡¯t even thought about it but, but how was I even doing that? How did I know those sort of things? And they¡­ they were almost all related to combat in some way. Like¡­ like I knew more information about combat than I should.


    Memories of fighting flooded into me. Of the sewers, my fight with Vincent, my two weeks with Master.


    Separate, it all had felt so natural. Even now, it still did but examined together and taken apart¡­


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    How did I know when to block, how to dodge, how to fight? How did I know to copy Ragual¡¯s gut punch or kicks? How did I know what my opponent''s next moves were going to be like, like they were obvious? How did I copy Master¡¯s footwork or breathing or bloodflow apparently?


    Nothing about any of those moments felt special. It all just¡­ felt so natural.


    I looked down at myself, staring in awe.


    Was I¡­ really that talented in Combat?


    ¡°Look at you. Like a baby finding out it has legs for the first time. Ugh.¡± Master said.


    My eyes snapped back to Master. My thoughts evened out but, something was strange. I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it at first but-


    Actually, wait a minute.


    ¡°Master¡­¡± I said slowly. ¡°...isn¡¯t this a good thing?¡±


    He glared at me.


    ¡°I-I mean, you want me to kill your mysterious enemy right? And I, uh, want to kill Vega. So, isn¡¯t me being good at learning combat, good?¡±


    He stared at me, deadpan. He spoke like all emotion and life had been sucked out of him, monotone.


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s great, amazing even, woo. You¡¯re going to be my best student yet if you survive, so great.¡±


    He huffed.


    ¡°Mutai, you dedicate your entire life to something and see someone learn in seconds what took you years and perhaps you¡¯ll know a fraction of my pain. In fact, I don¡¯t even want to look at you right now, your face pisses me off. Go away.¡±


    My mind stuttered to a halt.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me, I¡¯m tired of you. I need a break. I¡¯ll train Vincent here alone for a while. Go, get an ice cream or something. You can sleep in the tank or one of the random rooms I guess. I¡¯ll train you again in a week.¡±


    ¡°WHAT???¡±


    A week?! A week of, of what? What was I supposed to do for a whole week? I, I needed to train! What, what was I even supposed to do? I didn¡¯t even have a proper room! Or any money or, or, anything to do. Training, fighting, that was my whole life these days. I literally didn¡¯t have anything else to me.


    ¡­that was kinda sad actually.


    ¡°I¡¯ve transferred you money via your Vambrace. Just pay with that if you want food or something. I don¡¯t care. Just get out of here for a while. Now, go on. Shoo.¡± He said.


    In a daze of information and forced expulsion, I left. I passed by Vincent, who looked just as surprised as me but¡­ he was looking at me like I was a monster. No, even more than that. He was looking at me like the mightiest dragon in the world had arisen personally just for him to slay and like it had smacked him in the mouth.


    ¡°Vincent I-¡±


    ¡°Get out of here Mutai.¡± His voice was, odd. Almost, confrontational. ¡°I have a whole lot of work to do.¡±


    Right. Vincent just heard I learned fighting like, well, unlike almost anyone Master had met. This was still a competition to Vincent and not only had he been losing, but now he had learned about why he fell to two to three blows and I stayed standing. He must be feeling¡­ a whole lot of pressure.


    I said nothing as I walked up the stairs, feeling like I was lost and confused.


    The moment my foot touched the last step and I stood in the dojo, my mind had only one gleaming thought in it.


    ¡°What on Vega¡­ am I supposed to do now?¡±


    *****


    Finding an empty room with a bed was, weird. It wasn¡¯t made of leaves, it wasn¡¯t a hospital bed, it was just a bed.


    I found it, strangely uncomfortable. I missed my tank.


    Sleeping felt wrong. It was the middle of the day. Next, I tried to think of things to do and decided to try browsing Booble. It was, boring. I spent maybe an hour learning about the different races in the city on the internet and learned Master had far understated it when he said that calling an android a robot would get me killed. There¡¯d been whole wars over that kind of thing apparently¡­


    What a vast world.


    But sitting there and just learning¡­ it had never been my strong suit. And when I had, it had been from books and people teaching me, not technology. I¡¯d barely used any growing up and I¡¯d been forced to use it during the years I got here, right after my whole village had been wiped out. It was not fun or relaxing to do so.


    That left me just¡­ sitting there, alone, staring at the ceiling. I felt like I could hear the fighting between Vincent and Master right now. Of course, I couldn¡¯t. Vincent would already be in the healing tank while Master, did whatever Master did. Maybe just stand there, waiting.


    It gave me time to think. I was¡­ I was amazing at combat! That was, great. Master¡¯s poor attitude about it had dimmed the whole thing but that¡­ that was incredible.


    ¡®You learned three years in two weeks!¡¯


    I¡¯d already started to fall in love with fighting. With training. Every moment was another experience for me of growing and becoming more. In every way. Like I was a child growing into an adult or an egg breaking out of its shell into a bird. The knowledge, the skill progress, my own power level, being able to do things I could never have dreamed of doing before.


    I could probably crush and destroy rocks with my bare hands right now.


    [32]


    It was an insane level of progress and, it wasn¡¯t just power level I had.


    I could imagine it, learning all sorts of Martial Arts over the years and perfecting myself, making my own, constantly improving it. Master said¡­ it took him over five hundred years. What could I make in that time?


    But more than anything¡­


    I felt my heart beat harder and harder, faster and faster. I was growing stronger, but I was also growing more skilled. This, this talent of mine¡­ it was a gift unlike any other. Master seemed to think I was an almost impossible kind of creature and he¡¯d lived for a very, very long time. I was¡­ unique? If I could learn combat and fighting that took three years in two weeks¡­


    I could beat Vega. I could do it. In only a few years¡­ I could gain the skill to beat him. Not just Master¡¯s style, which was beyond anything I could ever imagine, but everyone¡¯s style. I could¡­


    I could make the Ultimate Martial Arts. And then¡­


    I could beat him.


    I could kill him.


    A grin split my face as my hand clenched into a fist.

 Chapter 48: Mutais Day out

    Having free time was¡­ alien. It wasn¡¯t just wrong, it was so abnormal I didn¡¯t know how to react. Hell, the first thing I¡¯d done the moment I¡¯d escaped the sewers had been to throw myself right back into training. Because I needed to, because I wanted to.


    And now I had to take a break. Not a two day break of floating in a tank, but a real, actual week¡¯s worth. It was such a drastic change that I tried to remember the last time I had absolutely nothing to do, which was when Ragual was¡­


    I smiled bitterly.


    That hadn¡¯t been a break. I¡¯d barely been stable, my body had been broken up, and I was stressed and filled to the brim with worry. I may have eaten, slept, and stayed in a bed but I¡¯d been a horrible wreck outwardly and inwardly.


    So before that¡­


    God, it had to have been years ago. When I was on the streets, I was just surviving day by day. Getting food, begging for money, rummaging in the trash, buying alcohol or trying to steal it. Okay, that wasn¡¯t it either.


    What about further back? The time I had before I¡¯d turned into a homeless vagabond. I¡­


    I blinked.


    Did I do anything?


    It was all just anger or depression or spending most of my time working or training. The few times I had spent not doing that was¡­ empty. And that was¡­ all I did for years and years. Was it even my fault entirely? Having to spend four out of seven days working ten hours¡­ you might as well be half dead to the world right? What was the point of money if you sold so much of your life away for it? As long as you work in the day, the whole day is basically wasted anyway. Not that I did much with the remaining three days¡­ I should¡¯ve just gone to live out in some wilderness somewhere¡­


    Which would¡¯ve killed me, because my power level would still be stuck at [1].


    God, I have lived miserably.


    Well, well no more! I had the opportunity now to do¡­ something at least, right?


    Yeah, yeah! How frequently would I ever get this chance again? I had to make sure I did as much as I could this week. I may never get a break again, for years. This week¡­ I had to spend it doing all the good things I had missed out on in my anger and despair. To actually live a little.


    I frowned a little at that.


    Living in a city meant needing money. That had been thoroughly beaten into me over the course of my years here. How much money had Master even given me?


    Quickly checking my old bank account using my Vambrace, I navigated to what Master had sent. Bio signatures sure made modern banking easier than ever. It used to be a flat zero and it was a miracle I had never borrowed or gone into debt. But now it was-


    ¡°100,000 Zeni?!¡±


    My mouth dropped open. The standard for rent in a shitty place was 500 Zeni a month. The minimum wage was about 2500 a month so¡­


    He¡¯d casually give me over three years¡¯ worth of money as pocket change?!


    What an insane old man! How rich was he?! Was this the benefit of living for a long time?


    I stared at the money. I hated the whole civilization that had made capitalism and working a thing but money was still¡­ money let you do things. It let you do a lot of things. With this¡­ I was definitely not going to waste my break! I was going to spend this week doing all the things I had never done before, that I could never do before, that I had missed out on!


    I was going to spend this money to its utmost!


    ******


    ¡°Two scoops please.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Came out a surprisingly feminine voice. Odd for a male rock golem.


    The ice cream vendor gave me a double ice cream cone. His small shop was right outside the Dojo basically. The combination of strawberry and chocolate, simply enjoying a nice ice cream while walking around a city¡­


    I smiled sadly.


    Maui would¡¯ve loved this. He always loved exploring and trying new things, especially food, more than I did. Suma would¡¯ve definitely gotten a double chocolate and made fun of Maui looking like a tourist as he glanced at everything and everywhere.


    I shook off the morose thoughts, focusing on the world around me. It was strange. Normally, I had trouble seeing a lot of people¡¯s power levels but now¡­ I could see everyone¡¯s. Well, almost everyones and I made sure to stay very far away from those I couldn¡¯t. The weirdest part was how¡­ weak everyone felt.


    I¡¯d dreamed of this day, in many ways. Where I¡¯d walk around and be one of the strongest creatures there. I had felt an inkling of it in Ragual¡¯s village but this felt more¡­ more. Like it was far more impactful. I wasn¡¯t the strongest around, not by a long shot, but I was stronger than most. In a wild city of power that I¡¯d lived so much of my life in¡­ it felt more meaningful than anything else I¡¯d experienced so far.


    I looked down at my body. Broken down, remade, healed back together. Lost parts of me made anew. My power level altered me in ways that reached all the way down to my core essence. I was so different from who I had been. And it wasn¡¯t just my power level, but in so many other ways. It was an existence I couldn¡¯t have imagined bearing only eleven months ago. I had changed, so, so much. It had nearly been a year and I¡¯d changed beyond my wildest dreams.


    A Mutai with only my power level would lose against me.


    A Mutai with only my power level and training would still lose against me.


    It wasn¡¯t just those sources of strength that had altered¡­ it was also my mind. My soul, my core. I kept changing, experiencing new things, growing as a person in so many ways. These experiences may be shaping me, but they were also adding to me. Maybe even multiplying me.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Meeting Ragual, meeting Vincent, experiencing life or death so many times, clawing my way out of the sewers, breaking past my limits through rage and hard work¡­ and now ice cream.


    I smiled as I bit down.


    The most recent change was perspective.


    I could feel it in the back of my head, all the information I¡¯d pulled from Master¡¯s training. From the little I knew and understood about the Demon Style. I could see how some people moved without any training and how some moved in a way that had to be decades of work. I¡¯d have to fight far more people to become an expert or a Master myself, I was still very far way away from those lofty heights. But still, it was like night and day compared to before.


    And I could see¡­ that my special ¡®Talent¡¯ meant more than just what it gave me. Even if it gave me so much in the realm of combat, it also changed how I thought. It was the source of my changing perspective. You don¡¯t see and learn without seeing the shadows. Experience¡­ was probably one of the greatest teachers of all. I may not be able to pull from everything and apply it to combat but that didn¡¯t matter.


    The man who only kicks and punches alone in the woods but had never seen a water park or turtle assassin, never been to a proper gym or had to run for their life¡­ they simply wouldn¡¯t be as well rounded. It¡¯s a lot of different experiences that make up a person. It applies to more than just fighting.


    That was the key. The value of a well lived life. Seeing a million things and experiencing a million more. Despite Master¡¯s words, it was clear from his Style alone. It wasn¡¯t made purely through combat. Some of these insights, some of the way things worked, some of these meditations I was going through and ideas I was exploring and experiencing, they were like shadows on the walls of greater concepts.


    The blood control¡­ it almost screamed of healing in some way I couldn¡¯t put my finger on.


    The deflections and blocking had a hint of¡­ almost sportslike. Like a gladiator or, or a boxer? Something about them made them feel that way, especially the elbow blocks.


    We didn¡¯t have no technology growing up. I remembered a small handheld game device my parents had gotten me. It was simple and pure. You had a virtual friend and you walked around and the more you did, the more ¡®experience¡¯ your friend got and well, that was it. But he got so happy every time his power level improved and his form changed a bit. I¡¯d carried him with me all over the island when I was like five until his power level hit max. It was common in games, to mirror life like that.


    But experience wasn¡¯t just a magic energy you got from killing monsters or something that made you grow stronger. It was experience. Living a life.


    That was real life, growing stronger through actual experiences.


    Whether it was growing as a person, expanding my worldview, or simply enjoying maybe my only week long vacation in the next few years of my life, I had to make the most of this before I was put back in a well lit hole and told to fight till I die again.


    I finished off my strawberry and chocolate ice cream, continuing on my way. My clothes were still sadly weighted, even though I¡¯d ¡®found¡¯ normal clothes for me in the room I went to. The boots hadn¡¯t needed replacing and they helped me trudge through the snow.


    It was winter again now, almost a year since I¡¯d first joined Master. Vega City didn¡¯t get a lot of snow but when it did, it was ice cold. I saw different children out and about, playing with their families nearby. I passed by a park, a small three eyed child throwing snowballs at a treant child with four branch arms. A pair of statues made out of marble, both incredibly attractive males holding hands, watched on. Ah, a nice family of four.


    There was more than a few scenes around like that.


    I smiled at them and they waved. I waved back. I approached the two husbands, smiling happily.


    ¡°¡±Merry Rabahgahdan!¡±¡± They said as soon as I got close.


    I froze in my tracks.


    Oh.


    Right.


    The Winter Solstice. The time period where it was coldest in the year. I¡¯d missed a lot of holidays during my training and time in the hospital but, the Winter Solstice¡­ it was one of the most famous ones. Everyone and every clan, family, and race had a few different holidays or other ones they didn¡¯t celebrate at all. But, whatever word you used for it, the Winter Solstice was special.


    Rabahgahdan, Vegamas, The Winter Solstice, The Cold Times, Android Sparks, etc etc.


    Almost everyone had a version of it, mostly because the cold sucked and there was a turning point where it stopped getting colder. Most people celebrated that day.


    ¡°Is that today?¡±


    ¡°Yes! You didn¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve been¡­ busy.¡±


    They just laughed.


    ¡°We get it. I¡¯m Free and this is my husband Add.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± Add said.


    ¡°Hi. Merry Rabagha- Rabahda-¡± I smiled sheepishly. ¡°Merry Winter Solstice.¡±


    They both chuckled, thankfully.


    ¡°Let me guess.¡± Add said. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy training?¡±


    I blinked at that.


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    He shook his head like the question was ridiculous.


    ¡°You¡¯re young yet you¡¯re so powerful of course! Results like those only come from hard work and those that work hard rarely take a day off voluntarily. Wait, let, me guess, it wasn¡¯t voluntary was it?¡± He smiled as if he already knew the answer.


    I simply laughed.


    ¡°My Master told me to take a week off or well¡­ more like he said he needed a week off.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± Free said. ¡°You young ones should be experiencing more of the world, not cooped up in some Dojo or Gym all day. What¡¯s your Dojo? Is it one of the famous ones?¡±


    I thought about it¡­ and immediately decided that if Master was any sort of famous¡­


    ¡°No. No, I doubt that. It¡¯s a smaller one.¡±


    If anything, Master¡¯s Dojo might be horrifyingly infamous at best¡­


    ¡°Ah, well that can be even better.¡± Add said. ¡°We spend a good portion of our time in a family Dojo along with a few others. Gotta keep building that power level right?¡±


    ¡°Wait, you all do?¡±


    ¡°Of course, why?¡±


    I looked at their children and then back to them, thinking.


    ¡°I just thought you¡¯d be busy parenting I guess?¡±


    ¡°Oho! But training together is parenting. The best way to protect your children is to have them learn to fight you know? Now I know a lot of families here in this city may have forgotten and got comfortable but the outside world can be dangerous! Why¡­¡±


    ¡°And another thing!¡± Add interjected. ¡°So many people leave their family out in the cold in that regard. Why, it¡¯s practically heartless and morally irresponsible! Why¡­¡±


    I smiled as Free and Add talked my ear off about the proper way to raise a family, their eyes never leaving Cindy and Wilbur. Yes, this was exactly what I needed. These types of experiences, these types of things, learning and growing from all around the world.


    I had to be strong but the truly strong¡­ I think they had to have a place in their heart for joy too.

 Chapter 49: Shopping

    With all great changes, must come even further great changes.


    A stupid statement but one that was completely true.


    For example¡­ I had money. A lot of money. More money than I¡¯d ever had before. If I¡¯d had this money years ago, it¡¯s not exactly that I would¡¯ve been happy. Capitalism still was gross at the best of times, but I would have immediately paid for a personal Master to train me and I might have even made progress within a year or two if my soul, money, and their patience all lasted that long. Unlikely on all accounts.


    But now¡­


    ¡°Shopping. Who knew the day would come when I¡¯d be excited about shopping?¡±


    After having a good long talk with Free and Add and leaving them to enjoy the Winter Solstice, I headed to the stores. Most were closed for the holiday but some were still open. Specifically, I¡¯d gone to the nearest Mall and it was¡­


    ¡°This place is massive.¡±


    I knew that malls were popular but this might be the biggest building I¡¯d ever been in in my life! It had over ten stories and I couldn¡¯t even see the end of it. Even though it was the holidays, there were thousands and thousands of people going about all at once. It was even more than I usually saw on the streets! There were tons of decorations and lights put up, mostly glowing snowflakes and floating, turning orbs. They played different scenes while holograms floated out and around through the air somehow, showing different winter moments. A family building a snowwoman and her coming to life, a white tiger leaping and catching some kind of ice creature before sharing it with her cubs, a whole clan seemingly having a snowball fight together. It was nice.


    And the presents! Glowing, beautiful boxes wrapped in sparkly paper of some kind that seemed to glitter. I smiled.


    This place, all of this, it was a lot different from how I¡¯d grown up, from what I¡¯d experienced. But the presents were the same. My family ordered that paper special from the mainland and kept it locked up tight in the closet and only brought it out for birthdays and special holidays like this. I still remembered seeing those presents underneath those glowing orbs in our house and feeling mystified. The whole thing felt so, mystical, so magical, and seeing the same thing now floating over my head¡­ it felt exactly the same.


    I lightly pulled myself back to the current moment. I¡¯d come here for a reason and seeing the amazing sights was only a great extra benefit. I was here to finally start weaning myself off Master! ¡­Using his money, but what had to be done, had to be done.


    The first stop was easy.


    ¡°Ah, how can I help you young man?¡± A, surprisingly, human person asked. He was around middle aged and seemed to have a decent beard.


    It wasn¡¯t that humans were rare exactly, it just felt like it¡¯d been a while since I¡¯d seen one.


    ¡°Oh, I was just looking for some clothes. Actually¡­ maybe a lot of clothes?¡± I frowned and thought about it. All of my clothes came from Master. It bugged me. It bugged me a lot. I at least needed an outfit or two that I owned myself.


    But how many clothes was that?


    Maybe¡­


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll need¡­ three shirts, three pairs of pants, shoes, socks, and some underwear? Ah, three of those as well.¡± Was that enough? I hadn¡¯t, well, I¡¯d never really thought about clothes.


    ¡°Ah, getting a whole new outfit for Vegamas?¡±


    I tried, really hard, not to frown. It wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s fault the planet and holiday was named after the same person that murdered my family. Well, not this man¡¯s fault at least.


    ¡°Something like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we discuss sizes and more? Are there any hidden appendages or tails or transformations we need to watch out for?¡±


    ¡°No no, pure human. Well, probably.¡±


    Not like I knew my ancestry that well.


    ¡°And I think I¡¯m a medium and¡­¡±


    A short while later, I left carrying two bags in my arms. I¡¯d gone back and forth a bit on design or to get plain colors but ultimately, I was worried any clothing I got would somehow end up destroyed¡­ My track record with them was a total of zero that had survived so far. Even my boots had ended up destroyed and needing to be replaced once during our training. Plain dark blue shirts that weren¡¯t abhorrent to the eyes were good enough. I¡¯d gone with a few pairs of jeans as well. Anything more baggy or loose that wasn¡¯t as sturdy as my Gi just felt¡­ wrong. Like wearing the same type of clothes but now they were made of paper.


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    Some socks, shoes, and underwear and I¡¯d been on my way.


    This was a great start. If I ever left Master I¡¯d at least have clothes that I owned. I could really see Master telling me that I couldn¡¯t leave with ¡®his¡¯ clothes if he was feeling angry enough. Judging by how hard he took my combat learning speed¡­ best not to take chances.


    I had grown tougher, but not walking around in public naked tougher.


    The next stop, hmm.


    Camping supplies. After having lived on the street for around a year and in the sewers for half that time, the thing I sorely desired more than anything was proper camping supplies. A tent, a firestarter, something to burn for heat, water, some way to filter water, a pot, a backpack, and more. If I hadn¡¯t found that small area of clean water down in the sewers¡­ best not to think about.


    Finding a proper camping supplies store was surprisingly easy. Travelers weren¡¯t exactly a strange occurrence across the world, let alone in Vega City. The problem was the durability¡­


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! How on Vega could that be true?¡± The woman with a mane of fire around her head and glowing black eyes told me.


    ¡°But I really do need at least the backpack to be a bit stronger¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have durable backpacks here. No, we don¡¯t have something a level 50 would struggle to break. Backpacks are originally made out of leather or canvas aren¡¯t they? You¡¯d struggle to find a metal that durable¡­¡±


    I scratched my neck. I was pretty worried about the durability. I could already see all my stuff being destroyed and scattered to the winds and I could only cry if that was the case. Everything else could be at least a little breakable but the backpack that held everything at least had to be a bit strong right? Even more so, I didn¡¯t want to accidentally rip it to shreds just by moving it a little fast¡­


    ¡°If you¡¯re that worried about durability, why don¡¯t you buy a normal backpack and then try out the Smile company¡¯s new invention?¡±


    I frowned. The fucking smile company¡­ but they made good work. Surely, at least the inventors had to not be total pieces of shit¡­


    ¡°What invention?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the most amazing thing!¡± The woman said, her eyes literally shining with stars in her eyes. ¡°They just released it recently! I, uh, don¡¯t have any stock here, of course, but it¡¯s a capsule!¡±


    She took out a small, well, capsule. It looked like a pill but about the length of her palm, with a small thing to press down on the top. It was pink around the middle, with the Smile Company¡¯s signature smile on the front. She pressed it and-


    There was a poof of orange smoke and there was an apple in her hands. The capsule itself reformed out of the smoke and she nearly dropped it before grabbing it.


    ¡°That was amazing!¡± I said.


    What on Vega was this?! How on Vega did any of that work? I¡¯d seen some amazing technology before but this almost seemed like magic!


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?!¡± The woman said. ¡°They¡¯re simply calling them ¡®Capsules¡¯ right now but who knows if they¡¯ll change the name? They¡¯re able to store stuff. They were just giving these ones out as promotional material today. I was lucky enough to get one!¡± She smiled, pride and happiness on her face.


    ¡°How does it work?! Wait, no, how much can it store?!¡±


    ¡°Oh, well this is just the freebies you know? I hear they¡¯re selling ones that can even store a car! This one uh, this can only store about this much though.¡±


    My mind felt like it was truly expanding beyond all reason. A car? A car? People, people were going to all be walking around with little small things that could just, store a car? What world was I living in? This was almost more impressive than the first time I saw a hologram or a flying car.


    ¡°How much are they? Wait, what happens if they¡¯re damaged, are your items destroyed? Wait, wait, aren¡¯t they a little dangerous? What happens if someone just opens it by accident and is suddenly crushed by a car? Wait, how does it work? What happens if I stick my hand into the smoke before it¡¯s reformed or while it¡¯s dropping the item? Wait, can it store my hand? Will it cut it off or-¡±


    ¡°Stop stop! I don¡¯t know!¡± The woman waved frantically. ¡°If you want to know more, go ask the Smile Company. I didn¡¯t think to ask any of that!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± She now looked a little panicked about the capsule in her hands. ¡°Wow¡­ that¡¯s so amazing. Truly, you have a piece of the future in your hands.¡±


    Her smile returned at that and a little while later, I left with a full traveling backpack, filled with every item I could ever need if I found myself trapped in the sewers again. If I ever left the damn Dojo with Master again I was going to make sure I grabbed it just as a precaution¡­


    Amazed and awed, smiling at all the happy families in winter clothes going around the stores and the advancement of a begrudgingly pretty amazing technology, I continued shopping. Maybe I¡¯d been giving technology too hard of a time¡­


    The healing tank that saved my life so many times, the Vambrace that told me the heights I had to reach to meet Vega, the one that finally showed me that I had made any progress, and now these Capsules¡­ my introduction to technology had been forced, heavy, hard, and alien all at once. The Smile company had drowned me in a healing tank and the constant numbers above people¡¯s heads that no one else saw felt like a taunting last remark from Vega after the Vambrace had exploded on my arm. Having to learn to use a computer on my own, along with the internet, just to find a job while my soul was wracked with depression and hatred¡­ it was a bad start. But I should open my mind. I should grow more. Technology¡­ technology wasn¡¯t so bad.


    I frowned, remembering quite a few awful things I¡¯d seen online and words said by people using it.


    Some technology wasn¡¯t so bad. The internet itself still felt like a bit of a mistake.


    When I finally went home for the day, twelve bags under each arm and a backpack filled with even more on my back, I felt proud.


    Now if I could just get myself one of those storage capsules, I¡¯d never have to worry again!


    As I was walking home though, I noticed a particular store and my eyes softened.


    I bought two more items before going home, a happy plan forming in my mind.

 Chapter 50: Merry Rabahgahdan

    ¡°Rabahgahdan. Rah-buh-gah-dun. Come on now Mutai, you gotta say it right.¡± I mumbled to myself as I entered the Dojo.


    Carrying all the bags and backpacks made it a pain in the ass. It wasn¡¯t the weight, I could probably lift a few dozen times this, but the sizes of everything was awkward. It took multiple trips and by the time I was done, my room felt like a cluttered mess. It made me smile. A lot of things in my life carried a sort of emptiness or purity to it. Fight, train, try not to die, owning not a single item. I felt like I¡¯d lived at least the last year like a monk disconnected from the world.


    I did not care for that. And now this was a little break from the monotony of it all. I didn¡¯t need much but not having anything¡­ it has a way of enflaming the desires. Just looking at the rice cooker I bought filled me with so much pride that I nearly cried.


    In a way, hadn¡¯t I earned this? Master had pushed me beyond my limits for a very, very long while. Even nearly killed me and sent me to a hellish hole in the ground for six months. If we think of this as my ¡®payment¡¯ for all that abuse¡­


    I laughed. The payment was my power, this was just a way to soothe the annoyance at that transaction. I swear, I¡¯m never leaving this Dojo with Master without that backpack again.


    I smiled warmly as I grabbed two items. It was late and normally, both Master and Vincent would probably be in bed.


    They weren¡¯t. Whether my hearing had become enhanced or the walls were thin, I could practically feel Vincent and Master currently fighting. The fact that it had lasted more than a microsecond was shocking to me. Had Master really toned it down that much? Gods¡­ he must¡¯ve really been hating me¡­


    I traveled down the stairs into the semi-secret training arena. Well, more like awkwardly placed more than anything¡­


    I saw why Vincent was lasting more than a moment now. Master was fully on the defensive and only casually fending off Vincent¡¯s blows. That still meant Vincent was bleeding heavily and an arm seemed broken already but that was incomparably light wounds compared to before.


    The second I walked down, Master turned, an ice cold expression on his face. Vincent punched his face but he didn¡¯t even so much as blink or flinch. Scary, unnerving even. But I¡¯d gotten used to it by now. Well, kinda. I still felt a chill go up and down my spine as he looked at me. Vincent also turned, staring at me with a competitive flaming spirit. I just smiled gently.


    ¡°What part of ¡®go away for a week¡¯, did you not understand?¡± Master asked coldly.


    ¡°I did, I will, but today¡¯s special Master. I just found out a little while ago.¡±


    His expression remained unchanged but Vincent¡¯s eyebrows rose.


    ¡°Why?¡± He asked.


    I pulled out the two presents I got for them. The shop had been more than willing to wrap the items considering the date.


    ¡°Merry Rabahgahdan!¡±


    Vincent seemed shocked still and Master¡­


    He stared at me like I was a monster, his mouth actually opening a little.


    Alright, not the reaction I expected but we¡¯ll just have to push through.


    ¡°I uh, I went out to see the city and go buy some stuff and I realized that today is rabha- Rabgah- The Winter Solstice. So I uh, well, I thought I¡¯d get you two a present. I know it¡¯s not much but, well, it¡¯s something right?¡±


    Vincent just stared at me, dazed.


    ¡°It¡¯s Rabahgahdan?¡± He asked, his voice shocked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He stared at me and the present like pure electricity had gone through him. Shocking and paralyzing him to his core. His eyes were wide, his mouth was fully open, and I got the sense I¡¯d truly lost him.


    Master stared at me in what could only be horror.


    This was not going well.


    The seconds ticked by, each more awkward than the first. In something that stunned me, Master actually looked to Vincent first. As if trying to escape rather than for guidance. It was the single most bizarre thing I¡¯d ever seen in my life. I felt like a slime had just busted out of a wall and demanded fifteen chickens for its slimy slime farm.


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    ¡°I¡­¡± Vincent finally spoke. ¡°My family¡­ my family would¡­ always celebrate Rabahgahdan. The children, my, my siblings. They all loved it. We¡¯d all gather around, all of them, all of the clan. We all gathered in the manor beneath the orbs. My cousins would cry with joy and¡­¡± Vincent trailed off.


    Vincent trailed off and then¡­ began to tear up.


    Oh¡­ oh no. I didn¡¯t¡­ What am I supposed to do?


    Panicking, anxiety racking up, I couldn¡¯t think of what to say or do. This wasn¡¯t something I could punch. My mind and body froze, practically becoming a stone statue.


    Vincent took a step forward, awkwardly, slowly. He reached out, hands shaking, tears in his eyes, and then looked at me with a look unlike anything anyone had ever peered at me with. Those eyes¡­


    ¡°Thank you Mutai.¡± He said, voiced lace with heartbreaking gratitude. I felt my own eyes become a little wet, visions of my family floating through me.


    ¡°I¡­ miss my family too.¡± I finally said.


    He nodded. He understood me and I him. We missed our families so damn much it hurt. But we still wanted to remember them.


    Carefully, slowly, he opened the present. Inside¡­ was a blacksmithing hammer.


    He stared at it with a sad smile.


    ¡°I¡­ you said your family were martial artists and metalworkers.¡± I said. ¡°I thought¡­ this might remind you of home a little.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Mutai. I love it.¡± He said. He walked towards the exit, putting the hammer down, before returning. No doubt not wanting it to get damaged.


    As for Master, he seemed, more uncomfortable than I¡¯d ever seen him.


    ¡°Master, this is for you.¡± I presented the colorful present. I even made sure to have it wrapped in black and red since those seemed like his favorite colors. Although they did have little stars and orbs on them to represent The Great Night but that was normal.


    ¡°Why have you done this?¡± Master said, eyes glued to the present like it was a snake going to bite him.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± I said, my voice unsteady. ¡°Well, we¡¯re all¡­ a kind of family right? Not a good one maybe, but, Master. You¡¯ve taught me and trained me. You¡¯ve never given up on me. You¡¯ve always believed in me and pushed me to my limit, even if it meant I might die. You¡¯re awful¡­ but I think¡­ I think you believe in me more than anyone else, even myself. You saved me and I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be here without you.¡±


    Master winced.


    My thoughts spun. I¡¯d suspected it for a long while but¡­ the one Master wants me to kill¡­


    It¡¯s Vega, isn¡¯t it?


    That¡¯s his ¡®hidden¡¯ enemy. That¡¯s the only reason he¡¯d train me so fervently in my goal. Why he¡¯d work so hard to find someone with more potential than him. And the reason he¡¯d want to kill Vega but couldn¡¯t¡­ even Master must have had a family at some point. Five hundred years¡­ is too long not to have one.


    To be called family by me¡­


    ¡°Never do this again.¡± Master said. ¡°Even for me¡­ this is fucked up.¡±


    I¡¯d clearly opened old scars but still, he took the present. He unwrapped it, slowly, clearly unhappy. When he finally unwrapped it, it revealed¡­ a small cat. Not a biological one, but a small robotic one. It meowed, looking up at him with nothing but love in its eyes.


    I¡¯d remembered him flirting with that android and despite not owning much, he still owned a healing tank and a pretty advanced Vambrace. He clearly knew, intimately, how to use both. He complained about how people used to use a thing called ¡®cell phones¡¯. I had a feeling Master actually liked technology, at least a little bit. If I felt this amazed by Capsules, how amazed must he be after over five hundred years?


    Master¡­ besides us, he was all alone. I doubted he had any friends or many other disciples. Family was also clearly out of the question. He was just a lonely old man with loads of power but not enough. What did he even do when we weren¡¯t here, watch TV? I never got the feeling he really trained anymore.


    Hopefully, a cat would cheer him up a little. And it was a robotic one, with the same mind as a biological cat. So he wouldn¡¯t even need to clean up after it, just play with it a little and sometimes feed it a battery or two! It was perfect.


    ¡°You¡­ got me a cat.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I said.


    The cat meowed and snuggled into Master¡¯s hands. I felt a brief panic of worry. Master was unpredictable but¡­ surely he wouldn¡¯t just¡­ destroy the cat or something right-


    He squeezed his hands and-


    Gently petted the cat.


    I felt my heart nearly kill me at the whiplash. Sudden panic and relief flowing through me.


    ¡°Go away Mutai. You too Vincent.¡±


    ¡°Uh-¡±


    ¡°Just¡­ go away.¡± Master said, voice defeated, eyes never leaving the cat.


    Vincent was the first to leave, looking at Master with complicated eyes. I was sure he picked up on his melancholy as well. He picked up his Blacksmith¡¯s Hammer, gave a small, sad smile, and then walked upstairs.


    I stayed for a moment more, staring at Master and how he petted the cat, before turning around and leaving without a word. As I was leaving though, I heard one final thing.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna call you Sparky.¡±


    I smiled.


    Happy Rabahgahdan Master.

 Chapter 51: Rabahgahdan

    I woke up bright and early in the morning. I yearned to get back in my tank, it feeling far more comfortable than a bed. I¡¯d truly spent way too much time in one that it just felt wrong to sleep on a bed. But yesterday, well, Vincent had clearly needed some peace and quiet. Some alone time without me being right there next to him. Master had been the same.


    Getting up, I plotted out today¡¯s course. I still had six more days before Master would let me return to my training. I doubted a cat alone would be enough to change his mind on that and I didn¡¯t really want him to anyway. I loved training and fighting Master but I needed these kinds of experiences just as much as anything else.


    And today, I had a few different goals.


    I walked out of the Dojo, wearing some of my new clothes. I hadn¡¯t found a washer or dryer in the Dojo, and I was kinda scared to ask Master about them, but I¡¯d bought a piece of tech to help with that. For once, it wasn¡¯t something made by The Smile Company, just two small boxes that charged with sunlight that could wash a handful of clothes at a time. Still needed to pour in your own water and soap though for the washer. Good for camping.


    The first place I went to was a small restaurant nearby. I didn¡¯t know anything about it but smiled when I walked in. It had gotten good reviews and I could already see why. A lot of buildings style in this city were kind of same-ish but this one could already be seen as special. It was less rectangular and more round, like an orb from the Great Night.


    Entering it, it had swaying and moving paintings on the walls. They didn¡¯t look like screens yet despite that, dragons and more seemed to all swim around and through them, creating an amazing effect like I was seeing a whole other world on the other side. The dragon even seemed to be looking at me-


    Suddenly, it came out!


    My eyes widened and before my very eyes, that slim and long dragon transformed into a woman with a uh, bountiful chest, wearing a long kimono. Horns like antlers and a thin trailing of blue scales going down her face and body.


    I¡¯d gotten used to seeing a lot of things in my time but even for Vega City¡­ this wasn¡¯t normal. At all. Dragons were¡­ Dragons were legendary creatures. They¡¯re even before Vega¡¯s time, said to be lost to history.


    ¡°Are¡­ are you a dragon?¡±


    The woman burst out laughing.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. I love that reaction. No, no. I¡¯m no dragon, just a descendant of them.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    That was still amazing. I didn¡¯t know how common dragon descendants were but I definitely hadn¡¯t expected to meet one here and now.


    ¡°So, table for one?¡±


    I blinked.


    ¡°You¡¯re the server?¡±


    ¡°Owner but I love people having a good meal. Now, why don¡¯t we get you seated?¡±


    And so I found myself admiring a fairly beautiful restaurant that felt mystical. I didn¡¯t really know how the owner had managed to come out of a painting like that or whether that transformation was real or not but there were all sorts of abilities and more as one grows in strength. After all¡­


    [???]


    I couldn¡¯t see her power level.


    Strong people abound in this city and my measly strength was definitely nothing special when taken as a whole¡­


    The idea of someone that strong and descended directly from the legendary dragons just owning a business, it was amazing and humbling. One never knew what they¡¯d run into.


    ¡°What would you like to order?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Uh. I¡­¡± I¡¯d been too lost in thought. It wasn¡¯t a very big restaurant all things considered and it was even more strange that the owner was the server. I couldn¡¯t even see anyone else here, but, well, it was early.


    ¡°How about some eggs and, uh, bacon? Oh and miss¡­¡± I didn¡¯t see a name tag.


    ¡°Oh please, just call me Ryu.¡±


    ¡°Ryu, do you have any tea?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be out with it soon.¡±


    I smiled. This was a beautiful and calming place, with a beautiful and calming owner. It was a great start to the day. I leaned back, looking at the paintings and my eyes opened wide as I saw they weren¡¯t just floating around with moving images now. They were painting a story. I knew this one.


    The Great Night.


    I watched as they followed the classic Legend.


    Long ago, on a night like any other, the dragons came to be. None were more shocked than them. This was a time when the planet had barely started, barely existed, and the mortal races were far lesser than they were today. Weak, powerless. The dragons were anything but. Mighty, all powerful, but also wise and overall kind. Some were wicked, some were brutal, all were prideful, but none were truly evil. They all followed their own rules, even if some of those rules resulted in Ultimate Destruction.


    Yet in this period of time, they were all made equal in their confusion and lost thoughts. They had not been born, they had been spawned. They had not evolved, they had emerged. They had been made.


    Yet by who, by what?


    Together, they used their great power and found the source of their creation.


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    A young child. Weak, weaker than all. Yet born with a great power beyond all.


    The dragons observed and found that although they had just been born, there had been legends. Creations of mortal kind, of giant dragons, mighty and prideful, wise and wonderful, terrible and awful. As many kinds as there were now in existence. The child had been read to day after day, night after night, from his mother and father. These great stories, fiction, and yet¡­ filled with so much more.


    With magic.


    And so the child had made a wish.


    ¡°I want there to be dragons! I wish for dragons!¡±


    And in doing so¡­ his wish had been granted.


    The Dragons were many things, ranging in a gambit of emotions. Terrified, amazed, in awe. This was no mere mortal! This was a true king, a God in weak flesh! Some wished to raise this child as their own, many wished to kill the child immediately lest he unmake them. A war began to brew among the dragons on the same night of their birth. Who could allow such power to manifest? That is, until one came up with a plan.


    ¡°We, who are great and mighty, shall also be wise. Is fear to be our way? To kill those in the cradle? No! Our existence shall be long and glorious. Let us not stain our future by destroying our origin!¡±


    And thus a plan was concocted.


    The dragons would take the child¡¯s power, but leave the child unharmed.


    It¡¯s said that right before the dragons took the child¡¯s power away, he saw them. Dragons, just like in his dreams! It is said, in his awe and happiness, that he made one final wish before the power was to be taken from him.


    No one, not even the dragons, knew what the wish was. But in doing so, the world became alive. Races unlike anything ever seen began to arise. The stars, few and far between in the night sky, shined like diamonds numerously. Magic itself came into being and Ki, previously hidden, began to be unlocked by all! Orbs rose from each dragon''s breast, before sinking inside them, filling them with a small slice of the child''s own power. What was meant to be taken forcefully¡­ was given willingly.


    The child lived out the rest of his days with the dragons, happy and content. Even as he aged into a man and then into old age and finally into death¡­ he was known by each and every dragon, a friend to them all.


    That child¡¯s name was¡­


    Rabahgahdan.


    ¡°Here you go!¡±


    The words knocked me out of my daze, as Ryu was back. And carrying my food!


    ¡°Whoa! That¡¯s a lot of eggs and bacon¡­¡±


    And it really was, she was carrying two plates and I¡¯m pretty there were over fifty pieces of bacon on one alone and a small mountain of scrambled eggs on the other!


    ¡°I know warriors.¡± Ryu said with a captivating smile that seemed to hint at more. ¡°It¡¯s important to eat well or your body will starve.¡±


    She was right about that. I began digging in, happy as can be. This much food was great! I usually had to order more before they brought out this much. As I was digging in, Ryu left and came back with tea. Two cups. She placed one down before me¡­


    ¡­ and sat down in a seat across from me with the other.


    My eating slowed as I took this in and looked at her. She merely smiled that charming smile, her serpent like eyes peering into mine.


    ¡°Is something wrong valued customer?¡±


    I swallowed my food down.


    ¡°W-Well¡­ uh¡­ you can just call me Mutai you know?¡±


    ¡°Mutai then.¡±


    ¡°Well, uh, why are you¡­ aren¡¯t there other customers today?¡±


    She merely sipped her tea, ignoring me. This was a bit weird but¡­ I went back to my food. I was starting to think all powerful people were all kinda weird and I was hungry. If Ryu wanted to sit and have tea with me, well¡­ maybe it might be that my brain wasn¡¯t currently doing all the thinking for me but I couldn¡¯t say I minded¡­


    ¡°What do you think of it?¡± Ryu finally said, after having only drunken her tea silently for the past five minutes while I ate.


    I looked at her face and where she was looking at.


    ¡°The paintings?¡±


    ¡°The story.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I thought about it for a bit. Is this why she sat down, she wanted to know my opinion on The Great Night? Well, I guess she did put a lot of care into showing it in her restaurant¡­


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a great story.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    ¡°Uh, well¡­¡±


    Now I had to really think about it. How did I feel about The Great Night? It was just an old legend. So old it even outlived the dragons themselves. So old it predated most people¡¯s histories. But every dragon was said to have told the story, in the exact same way, and that lived on in their descendants and the clans they had protected and built up over the centuries and millennia. It was important to them. To me¡­ well¡­


    ¡°...Seems kinda cruel.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? How so?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ the dragons found this great and amazing child that can make their wishes come true right? That created all of them and could do even more amazing things if only given the chance. And the first thing they want to do is either kill him or take it away from him. They never even gave it back when the child grew older and into a man or even when he was old. If they did, or used the power together, he could¡¯ve lived right? He might still be around today. Even if it was freely given¡­ they should¡¯ve given it back when he had matured.¡±


    ¡°Would you?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Would you let anyone, anything, have that much power all at once? Even if it was originally theirs? I would think you would not be keen on having such strong entities given the existence of Vega.¡± She said, with a raised eyebrow.


    I frowned.


    ¡°Power is power, it¡¯s always going to be around. I could go and kill¡­ a lot of people before I was stopped. So could you. So could this entire city, if they all decided to attack people at once. Power is power. It¡¯s about who has it. The dragons were friends for Rabahgahdan¡¯s whole life. They knew he wasn¡¯t evil. He could¡¯ve used the power to do great things.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but that was then. What about in a hundred years or a thousand or ten thousand? Do you think Vega started evil?¡±


    I was at a loss for words. I¡¯d never thought about it. He¡¯d been killing and destroying for so long¡­ was there really a time when Vega wasn¡¯t evil? I could barely believe the idea.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to trust someone with ultimate power.¡± She continued. ¡°If Rabahgahdan ever turned evil, like Vega did¡­ who could¡¯ve stopped him? No one. There must be equals. No one person can be that high above everyone else, so unstoppable against everyone else. You¡¯ve seen the results of that.¡±


    I frowned. Her words felt wrong but I couldn¡¯t deny them.


    Except¡­


    ¡°Rabahgahdan could¡¯ve made everyone just as strong as him before putting limits on himself. He had that kind of power. He would¡¯ve understood that, I think. The dragons, they were just afraid and greedy.¡±


    Ryu frowned, hard.


    ¡°Maybe. Maybe they were.¡±


    With that said, she got up and walked away.


    I finished my food in peace and left shortly after. That was a strange experience, thought provoking even. But more than anything?


    I smiled.


    It was an excellent start to the day.

 Chapter 52: Capsules

    The next thing I wanted to do today was something that made me grin.


    Capsules.


    Those little amazing things I¡¯d seen beforehand. They were great. The idea of simply being able to store my backpack and carry it around without it being on my back sounded great! Except¡­ well¡­ would it have the same weight? Wait, I¡¯d have to be careful not to lose the capsule itself or I¡¯d lose everything¡­


    Alright, they had clear drawbacks, but they were the closest thing I¡¯d ever seen to real magic barring the painting trick I¡¯d just seen. They would make any traveling I had to do way easier. If I could store food and drink as well?


    ¡­I needed them. I needed ten of them.


    My smile lasted right up until I got to the Smiling Company¡¯s main building. Then it died and shriveled up. Oh. Right.


    These people¡­ they¡¯d drowned me, broken me, stripped my island for parts, worked directly with Vega, and I hadn¡¯t forgotten all the dead bodies in the sewers.


    And I was smiling about one of their inventions.


    My frown curled so hard I thought I could feel it cracking my face.


    A company wasn¡¯t like a person. They could be evil and have non-evil people in it. It made it¡­ annoying. If it was just one person I could¡­ do nothing, actually. They¡¯d probably be above Master¡¯s strength. I¡­ I felt more powerless than normal. Fighting a company felt both impossible and vague, not that I even could. All this strength and what has it gotten me? Smiling happily at my enemies.


    Whatever. I just had to buy the stupid capsules and go back to the Dojo. I¡¯d find something more fun to do after this.


    Walking in, I wasn¡¯t surprised by what I saw. The Smile Company was a massive tech company with stores all over, but the main building was a massive skyscraper with the width of a large park. It was probably literally the biggest building I¡¯d ever been in. The first floor was bright and shiny, with tons of people walking around the aisles and buying different pieces of technology. I saw the first floor was mainly dedicated to personal devices. There was a whole aisle for drones, another for Vambraces, and even one for more mundane things like hologram projectors or body mods. Huh. I didn¡¯t see too many people with those usually, but some people preferred a robot arm to healing their own I guessed. Or maybe it was cheaper?


    ¡°Hello! Can I help you?¡± A pink-skinned woman with tentacles for hair and in all white came up to me with the Smile Company¡¯s classic logo across her uniform. Her smile was perfectly plastic though. It just reeked of¡­ insincere. Especially after talking to Ryu. I don¡¯t know what I was expecting but it made my mood sour even further.


    ¡°I heard you have something called Capsules?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Right this way, the demonstration is just about to start!¡±


    Huh? Well, alright. A quick walk on a fast moving walkway took us further and further into the store and I could slowly feel my eyes going wider and wider the deeper we got. There was a lot of open space, sure, but this place was massive beyond all measure. All around me were pieces and different kinds of technology, most I couldn¡¯t recognize by sight alone. Were these things what people had in their own homes? I¡¯d seen a few here and there but¡­


    The city would look very different if all of these were far more common. I might not even recognize it!


    Then I saw the holographic price underneath a few items and immediately understood. Who had that much Zeni to throw around on a purifier?! That fridge cost over two thousand Zeni! A washing machine for a thousand? Why?


    Wait a minute.


    ¡°Why are there so many appliances?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? I¡¯m sorry dear customer, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ it just seems¡­ low tech for the Smile Company.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Although we usually outsource to our generous subsidiaries, we hold generous amounts of our main stock here. Feel free to buy anything that catches your eye!¡±


    I frowned at that answer. Subsidiaries. That would mean¡­


    ¡°How many places sell the Smile Company products?¡±


    The woman blinked at me. Her customer service smile seemed to pause for a moment.


    ¡°Uh. All of them?¡±


    Now it was my turn to blink. All of them? Wait, all of the technology that was sold in Vega City came from the Smile Company? Wait, was she saying all businesses were part of the Smile Company? That couldn¡¯t be right.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be right. The Smile Company can¡¯t own every business.¡±


    ¡°Oh! No, no, of course not! The Smile Company has almost no businesses directly underneath it without them being a part of the Smile Company, mostly for branding reasons. However, any technology sold in Vega City and many cities, towns, and beyond are directly serviced, sent out, and owned by The Smile Company. Any place that sells technology is under the Smile Company license!¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    What.


    ¡°What if someone tries to sell, say, a toaster they made themselves then?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s in Vega City, they¡¯ll need to pay a copyright fee to The Smile Company.¡±


    ¡°What if they made the technology themselves?¡±


    ¡°They need to pay a competition fee for a time, give up their designs as is the law, and then pay a copyright fee. If they want to sell it, that is.¡±


    ¡­


    The Smile Company was truly evil. I was in the ultimate despair of capitalism. Somehow, somehow, one day, I must destroy this place and everything it built up. I must burn it to the ground and salt its ashes. It seemed while the King was out, a different kind of Tyrant with honeyed words and smiles had taken his place. One with many limbs and almost too many faces. How one single handledly destroyed a company was beyond me. How strong would I have to be? How could I do it? Surely¡­ surely any company had leaders right? Could I just¡­ attack them? Remove them by force? Yeah, yeah. Companies had CEO¡¯s and super rich stockholders. Surely if they died¡­


    ¡°Oh look! We¡¯re here!¡±


    I was knocked out of plans for murder at the sight of a rather expensive looking group of gatherers. I almost felt out of place for a moment. Their clothes were all different but they all practically screamed money. They were obviously rich. Wait, was I rich? Wait, was I obviously rich? I looked down at my clothes. A plain deep blue shirt and jeans met my eyes. Oh. No. Thank the gods for that.


    Stepping off the moving walkway, I joined the crowd, facing a decently large stage that had been set up in the middle of the floor. We were so close to the back, I could actually see the walls. The metal platform had curtains drawn and sounds coming from the back. I stood with the rest of the crowd to see what all the fuss was about. I barely noticed the employee leaving me.


    This week was turning out even better than expected. I had just wanted to come buy some capsules but now I was apparently seeing some kind of product demonstration of them. And not one held in a mall but the Smile Company itself.


    Soon a man appeared but not a normal one. Today seemed to be having a theme. First Ryu being a dragon descendant¡­ and now an honest to god Demon. I wasn¡¯t the only one staring at their pale blue skin, small white horns, and shimmering aura around them.


    The tiger man next to me literally gasped.


    Demons were¡­ they were other. They came from a different realm, hard to reach by any normal person, and rarely left. They were all strong, born at what I heard was power level [50]. And the realm itself¡­ it was dark, barren, and malevolent. And that was mirrored by their people, at least, so I¡¯d heard. Most of them were straight up evil, others purely negative in some way, but the words ¡®nice¡¯ or ¡®good¡¯ next to a demon was almost unheard of. At the very minimum, they were sketchy or unpleasant.


    Just seeing the being before me shattered a few prejudices though.


    For starters, he was smiling happily. Secondly, he was wearing a top hat and had a performer''s outfit on.


    ¡°Welcome, welcome everyone! I¡¯m so glad to see you all are in attendance. Today, we¡¯ll be showing the Smile Company¡¯s brand new product. Now, you might have heard or seen them earlier, but let me show you just what they can do!¡±


    He made a motion and the curtains pulled back¡­ revealing nothing. Just an empty stage. I blinked in confusion. What was all the setup for then?


    He turned and took out a capsule. He pressed down on it, but this time, nothing happened immediately. He held it up, moved it around, shook it, even juggled it, and finally¡­ threw it at the empty stage. A bright blue puff of smoke appeared taking up a massive amount of space¡­


    And then there was a car on the stage.


    My jaw dropped open and I wasn¡¯t the only one.


    ¡°As you can see my fine customers, not only are the rumors true, they go even further beyond! Smile Company brand Capsules, patented naming, are fully able to store up to a medium sized car¡¯s worth of space and are perfectly safe! With our technology, it will only appear after sufficient space has been detected! Want to go on a journey across our fair planet? Why, just take a capsule or two or even ten! Want to make it easier to transport goods across the planet? Why, a few hundred of these safely secured and you can transport thousands of times more merchandise! Or are your desires more casual? Why, a quick trip to the grocery store will no longer require any carrying of awkward bags, furniture will be easy to move, and moving from home to home has never been so easy!¡±


    I stared, enraptured by what I was seeing. The words almost hypnotically flowed into my ears. It wasn¡¯t that I necessarily needed any of this. When would I even use it? But¡­ just one! I had to have just one!


    I needed it! I had to have one! No! More! And even more! I needed to buy one and¡­


    And¡­


    I shook my head, feeling lightheaded. Something felt off. Yes, I wanted one and it was amazing but¡­ why was I¡­


    I looked around me, at all the very clearly rich people around, and their enraptured faces. As well as the demon whose words felt so¡­ enticing.


    Shock radiated out of me as my jaw dropped. My face slowly hardened.


    No¡­ was that even possible? It¡­


    I felt the desire bubble up within me again. Master¡¯s words, Ryu¡¯s actions, the story of The Great Night¡­ this was¡­ this was-!


    This was magic! Mental magic! I could feel it affecting me, coiling around me, making me want to buy buy buy. It felt so¡­ insidious but also, subtle. I only felt my desires going out of my control but I couldn¡¯t even feel the magic itself.


    Part of me was shocked and horrified. An honest to god Demon was using mental magic on me, trying to get me to do something that I kinda already wanted to do but not to this extent!


    But another part of me¡­


    Magic was real!


    Master had said so, the story of The Great Night said so, but it was more urban myth and legend than anything real! I felt like my worldview was fully shattering. There was no Ki anything that I knew of that could affect the mind! Ki was all about energy but magic¡­ I had no idea what it was about. It could theoretically do anything.


    The demon continued on with his honeyed and poisonous words, entrancing all the buyers, before they began lining up to buy more. I hardly heard his speech, refusing to listen anymore. I may be in awe of magic¡­ but someone had just tried to influence my mind.


    I was going to get my damn capsule and get the hell out of here.


    Right as I went up though¡­


    An explosion rocked the building.

 Chapter 53: A Battle Beyond You

    My eyes opened wide in shock. The whole building rocked all at once and most of the people around me fell on their asses, hard. Even my feet felt unsteady. It was like a ripple of pure concussive force had just moved underneath me.


    The demon had frozen, eyes wide in fear. I realized why only a moment later.


    An explosion of yellow energy nearly killed me. Not ten feet from me, a massive ki explosion was in front of me, destroying everything in its radius. My eyes shook and my heart hammered in my chest as my hair was blown backwards and it felt like I was punched in the gut. The people around me were sent flying and the demon was slammed into the car, denting it. The blast dissipated quickly but my whole life flashed before my eyes as I stared in that eternal moment, into that yellow wall of destructive energy.


    Ten feet to my right and I would be dead.


    My Village. This is how my Village truly died. This is how everyone who survived the rain of death died. This is-


    Someone tackled me to the ground.


    I snapped out of it, instantly taking everything in. But nothing made sense. The explosion was dissipating, but people were running in all directions, the demon was nowhere to be seen, and the person who¡¯d knocked me to the ground was the tigerman from before. A massive hole was already causing the floor around me to dip. Most of that made enough sense but why had the tigerman-


    A body flew where I had been standing not seconds ago, slamming into the stage, and breaking it, the car, and everything around it to pieces in a massive shrieking crash of metal.


    The tigerman had saved me from becoming nothing more than a smear.


    ¡°T-Thanks!¡± I yelled over my ringing ears.


    ¡°We have to get out of here!¡± He screamed, eyes wide in panic. His good deed done for the day, he leapt off me and sprinted towards the moving walkway, heading as far away from the action as possible.


    What on Vega¡­ the action? What was going on?!


    Before I could even get to my feet properly¡­ a body rose from the destroyed stage, now nothing more than scrap metal. I took them in. It was¡­ a kitsune. A male kitsune. They looked young and handsome, beardless and short white hair with red streaks through it. Wearing a flowing kimono. Like their hair, they had four white tails, also with red streaks going through them. They stood, looking largely unharmed and with a calm but alert expression on their face. They were staring up into the air.


    [???]


    Oh.


    Suddenly, three police officers in black armor appeared above my head.


    Flying.


    [???]


    [???]


    [???]


    Oh.


    The Kitsune began to float into the air as well.


    ¡°Halt! You are under arrest for the destruction of Smile Company property and an attack on their headquarters! Power down and get on the ground or lethal force will be used against you!¡±


    A light white aura surrounded the three police officers.


    The Kitsune languidly got into an open palmed martial arts pose, somehow making the movements look smoother than anything I¡¯d ever seen. Like he was living water going across ice. I felt my talent start poking me in the brain as the rest of my brain was busy.


    Busy exploding.


    I couldn¡¯t sense Ki¡­ but I could feel the clashing Auras and Energies in the air. I even saw minor sparks. My whole body felt like it was being pounded into the ground by the oppression. It was like I was being attacked by Master but worse. His was more evil, more lethal, and even more powerful, but it had never been in conflict.


    I felt like gravity had tripled around me and I couldn¡¯t tell if it was real and physical, or all just in my head.


    And that was least the of my problems.


    That same part of my brain that made me good at combat and poked my brain while watching the Kitsune¡¯s movements was also doing something else now.


    Screaming at me.


    I was going to die. I was going to die like a man dies from a meteor. I was doomed, I was going to die, die, to die, die, die die. It was everything, all encompassing, pounding. My heart hammered a million miles a minute, sweat practically drenched me in mere moments, the world seemed to stand still, my vision blackened, and yet I knew, the second one of them moved, I¡¯d be nothing more than a smear on the side of the road.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    I had to get out of here.


    But where?!


    My mind skyrocketed in panic and fear and anxiety and just like with the turtles, it was screaming at me but it was already too late and-


    A single movement. A single clash between arm to arm.


    And the power reverberating through the air was enough to slam me into the metal ground and crack my sternum. Anything nearby me was sent flying or broke even further than before. A massive rent in the floor opened up directly below them. I coughed up blood, feeling like the executioner''s axe had missed me by a hair.


    I stared up at two beings like gods. The police had made the first move and the Kitsune had blocked it with barely any strain. That single movement alone would¡¯ve killed me had I been directly underneath them.


    I had maybe three seconds during their intense staredown before the hundreds of clashes they were about to have turned me into literal roadkill. I dove, barely understanding the thought in my head or where I was going or what I was doing. The thoughts had been too fast, too necessary, for me to grasp them before I felt hundreds of shockwaves crash into me.


    As I felt my body break, darkness took me.


    *****


    I woke up feeling like I¡¯d broken my back.


    The fact that I woke up at all had me smiling even before I opened my eyes, even if my heart was still racing a mile a minute. I felt my teeth practically glued together. Ah, that was no real smile. Anxiety had crushed my jaw together.


    Survival instincts kicked in and I was moving.


    My body hurt, I didn¡¯t know what was broken, I had no idea how long I was out or where I was and everything was dark but I needed to move.


    It was only after blinding running in the dark for who knows how long that I collapsed and took the time to assess. My mind triaged first.


    Broken sternum, ribs hurt, probably two broken. Vision is fine, heart is fine, lungs are fine, most major organs probably alright though I feel my kidney and bladder might be damaged. Wait, heart skipped a beat, fear or damage? Doesn¡¯t really matter, it works right now. Limbs intact, head bleeding but not deep, head hurts, probably a concussion, lacerations across both arms but not deep.


    Extremely light wounds. I was practically in perfect health.


    A deep, deep breath of relief came out of me and my vision went black for a moment. I sat there, senses going haywire as I tried to focus them. I wasn¡¯t that hurt and I wasn¡¯t dead. A miracle. At the last moment I¡¯d¡­ I¡¯d¡­


    Dove into the hole.


    I blinked. I had barely been thinking, mostly panicking, but I¡¯d dove right into the hole that random ki blast had caused. Looking around me and where I¡¯d come from¡­ I was probably a floor deep. Except that didn¡¯t make sense. If I was only a floor deep, I¡¯d probably be dead. That fight looked like it was going to destroy most of the building. And the Ki blast couldn¡¯t have cracked a hole that far, right?


    I was in some sort of dark metal hallway, but there were lights. Almost none were on though. Looked like emergency power.


    Walking back to where I¡¯d been, I realized what had happened. The hole I¡¯d fallen down was a maintenance shaft. What luck! But looking above¡­


    Bang. Boom.


    The fight was still going on. There was no way I was going back up this way. Even being around here could kill me if a stray blast fell down the right way. I had to get moving, get out of here, and get home to the Dojo. Fights were common in this city but it¡¯d been a long while since I¡¯d heard of anyone fighting at this level of power. They had just been horror stories I¡¯d heard from a distance before but now that I was living one¡­


    I shuddered. This fight was far beyond me. This was the kind of strength of Master. Hell, I got the feeling all of them were holding back. It was time to run away.


    As I turned to get the hell out of here, I noticed something out the corner of my eye.


    A capsule with a bright purple center and the symbols C1 on the front. Wasn¡¯t that the Capsule the demon was using to store a car?


    I smiled.


    Well, it¡¯d been a while since I¡¯d stolen anything, but I¡¯d make an exception for The Smile Company.


    *****


    Walking down a dark corridor with the increasingly loud sounds of combat and falling rubble was not an enjoyable experience. Not in the damn least. My happiness at getting a free Capsule that could store a car evaporated as I realized just how many people must be dying above me. The store was large but¡­ they could fly and the store was large. If it wasn¡¯t built well enough¡­


    The whole thing could come crashing down.


    And with me below it.


    It was nerve wracking and being back underground, in the dark, not knowing what I was going to run into was dredging up all of my worst memories. The sewers had become background information to me but being back in a similar situation felt like it was going to drive me crazy. At any moment I felt like I was going to turn the corner and see a Chain Wraith come to kill me or a giant alligator biting me in half or a massive water elemental. It wasn¡¯t even that far fetched either.


    I was underground, I was in Vega City, they must¡¯ve cleared this area but all toilets inevitably lead to¡­


    If I wasn¡¯t in the sewers, I was probably a few walls away from the entrance to them, maybe a Chain Wraith really was right around the corner.


    None of those thoughts made me feel good. I¡¯d rarely felt worse since I¡¯d returned to training with Master.


    Finally, a section that didn¡¯t seem to have the power knocked out of it opened up and I almost wish it hadn¡¯t. Before it had been dark but metallic, now it was light and metallic and it looked so very¡­ sterile. The only time I¡¯d seen any place that looked like in front of me was in the very rare movie I¡¯d ended up watching over the years. Worse, this wasn¡¯t fiction, The Smile Company really could have monsters down here. Or security. That might actually be worse¡­


    Walking down the bright metal corridor was long and boring. Finally though, there was a turn and a doorway. I walked through and-


    ¡°Damn. I was hoping for a proper lunch break.¡±


    ¡°Could you take this seriously? I¡¯d like to survive the day.¡±


    ¡°Relax, the basement is fortified. We¡¯ll probably be fine.¡±


    Wait a minute.


    I recognized those voices.