Warning!
Hostile Target, Detected
Threat Level, Assessing…
I pulled my gaze from the tablet just in time to see Chunky nudge one of his friends, pointing my way.
There was no need for special skills or UI readings to figure out what the gesture meant. They’d just found a way to reaffirm themselves as the tough kids of the unit.
With a sigh, I lowered the tablet.
There were none of the cracks and aches I’d grown used to over the years as I rolled out my shoulders, but my muscles were still sore from phys ed earlier that day. Nyamien had never been the active type. I hadn’t been before I went to the Academy, always preferring the quiet of my room and the company of books rather than running around outside. Half the reason for that was the figures now heading my way.
They’d just rounded the counter where our breakfast bars were usually served, blocking off the only ways to leave the common room.
Still, even if Chunky was a head taller than me, and a fair bit heavier to boot, he was still just a child. A human child with far too few slobbering maws and genetic mutations to seem threatening.
Threat Level: 3
Powly “Chunky” Brate
Run Battle Simulation (y/n):
Odds Of Winning, 3%
Having just been about to stand up, my brow furrowed as I saw that notification pop up on my tablet.
Either the technology wasn’t as advanced as I’d thought, or it’d taken some strong substances to get a calculation that wrong.
My odds were closer to 9 to 1 against the boys. The 1 being if they were coordinated enough to come at me all at once, but besides that, they had nothing but size and numbers in their favor.
I’d fought against literal eaters of worlds during my time in the Astral Fleet. If these kids got the better of me, I’d be impressed.
“What are you staring at, Star Boy!” Chunky called out, causing the room to fall silent. “You think you’re tough now because of what happened yesterday?”
One of his lackeys had moved over to turn off the TV.
They wanted their audience, and now, a mix of different looks came our way as Chunky and his friends surrounded the low table before me. Some were watching us with curiosity, others with fear or nervousness. Urge To Pee kid darted off to the toilets.
“You want to fight?” I asked, extending the invitation as I got to my feet. Confident as I was, I didn’t want to take on someone a head taller and twenty kilos heavier than me sitting down.
Even if they were kids, they did get a sliver more imposing when you were forced to look up at them.
Now, however, as I met Chunky’s eyes dead on, I could see them hesitate. They hadn’t expected my question, but as the responsible adult, I figured it was better if they ordered the beating before I began dishing it out.
Soon, however, their expressions change into scowls.
“You really have been getting cocky, Star Boy,” Chunky growled, taking a step towards me. His arms were still down, leaving all of him exposed and defenseless. “It was the same thing yesterday with that dumb guard and—”
Actually, make those odds 10 to 0. These poor kids still think I’m Nyamien…
“So, are we fighting or not?” I cut in, carefully measuring the distance between us.
If he took another step closer, I’d really have to punch him whether he agreed to it or not. I couldn’t let him grab hold of me.
“I’ll beat you until you cry,” Chunky growled as he clumsily lunged forward.
By the time he reached me, I’d already bounced back, my knuckles meeting his nose with both of our weights combined. He’d practically fallen into my fist, leaving it far heavier than I’d intended – heavier than my small body could’ve ever produced on its own.
Something cracked, blood gushed across my fingers, and it felt as if something in my hand had broken as I slid to the side, avoiding Chunky’s bear hug as his pained wail rang in my ears.
Had I struck him like that with my old body, his head would no longer have been attached to his shoulders. Now, however, his furious eyes had snapped my way even before I’d regained my balance.
Being this much smaller and lighter really did have its disadvantages. Just to connect with his face, I’d ended up well within his reach.
His windmilling fists caught me across the lip, and I could taste the blood as I got in a stiff leg kick to his leg, connecting a few inches above the knee.
I could tell his quad muscle had locked up from another sharp cry that cut my ears, and Chunky nearly fell over me as I rolled away across that low table he’d circled to reach me.
He was still sniveling and snorting as I bounced to my feet, his face covered in blood. I didn’t let him catch his breath before I’d kicked the table forward, straight into his shins.
Rather than incapacitate him as I’d hoped, however, his anger only seemed to boil hotter. “I’ll kill you, Star Boy! I’ll fucking kill you!”
Maybe I’d underestimated the stubbornness of a child, and before I could switch over to choking him out, one of his friends had grabbed hold of me from behind.
“I got him, Powly!” the boy cried out.
And that’s where the 1 in the original 9 to 1 came from…
Even if the kid wasn’t going to hit me himself, it would be bad enough if he held me long enough for Chunky to get in a good swing.
Two victims it is then.
Slamming back my head into his face, I could feel another nose snap as a startled yelp rang out behind me. It would turn into tears and weeping soon enough, but I’d already gotten my hands around the collar of his shirt.
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I might not have been strong, but the kid had no clue how to fight me as I rolled him over my back. He slammed into the table with force, leaving him stunned and short of breath for a second.
None of the others moved. Not even Chunky. They just stared at me with wide eyes as I sprung up on the table as well.
No mercy.
Chunky didn’t even have time to react as I lunged forward with my heel, driving it deep into the boy’s solar plexus.
I wasn’t as agile as I would’ve liked, and my foot hit a bit low. Still, it’d carried my full weight, and it knocked the air straight from his lungs. The big kid stumbled backwards, over the cushions as he crumbled to the floor.
His friends didn’t even think to stop me as I jumped down to straddle him, holding him in place with a knee to the chest. He was shivering, heaving for breath, and staring at me with wide eyes.
The other kids were retreating as well, looking at each other as if they’d just seen a ghost. A phantom, or a demon.
I wiped some blood from my lip. Chunky had got me better than I would’ve liked. Fighting with shrunken limbs really fucked with your perception and balance.
It’d been a good lesson for us both.
“I’ve let you off easy this time,” I said as I pushed myself upright. I was over it. The big kid was looking at me as if I was the bully, and the moment the pressure disappeared from his chest, he rolled up in fetal position with tears in his eyes.
Maybe I really was the bully…
There was no satisfaction in seeing a twelve year old kids tremble in my presence even if Nyamien was celebrating within me.
“I wanted to stretch out my limbs a bit,” I continued as I stepped away from him. “So, in a sense, you did me a favor, Chunky. Next time, I won’t be as kind.”
Without another word, I left them – no one trying to stop me as I grabbed my tablet and returned to my room. The rest of the boys stared at me with a mix of awe and fear.
Pee boy had just returned as well, holding an expression I didn’t need the tablet to deduce. “W-what did I miss?” it seemed to say. He, too, was staring at me like I was either a hero or a demon.
I was one of the weakest, softest looking boys of our unit. Me walking away from that scene, mostly unscathed, was, indeed, wrong. At least if I’d still been Nyamien.
But I wasn’t. Nyamien had been too weak to save this world. I couldn’t allow myself to become the same.
Ability Added, Combat:
Unarmed Combat > 2
Hand to Hand Combat > 3
Imperial Grappling > 3
Imperial Boxing > 2
Imperial Footwork > 3
Imperial Leg Strikes > 2
Take Down > 2
Ability Added, Perception:
Threat Assessment > 2
People Reading > 1
Ability Added, Conversation:
Fight Starter > 2
Goading > 1
Calculating Current Levels…
Sorting…
>Mental: 15
> Hacking: 5
>
> Information Gathering: 2
>
> >Market Knowledge: 3
>
> UI Software: 3
>
> >History: 1
>
> Imperial: 1
>
> >Perception (M/S): 4
>
> Threat Assessment: 2
>
> Scan Electronics: 2
>
> People Reading: 1
>Social: 10
> Blending In: 1
>
> Social Manipulation: 2
>
> Charm: 1
>
> >Conversation: 3
>
> Fight Starter: 2
>
> Goading: 1
>
> >Perception (M/S): 3
>
> Threat Assessment: 2
>
> People Reading: 1
>Physical: 21
> >Combat: 17
>
> Unarmed Combat: 2
>
> Hand to Hand Combat: 3
>
> Take Down: 2
>
> >(II)Imperial Arts: 10
>
> Boxing: 2
>
> Footwork: 3
>
> Leg Strikes: 2
>
> Grappling: 3
>
> >Strength: 1
>
> >Endurance: 1
>
> Running: 1
>
> >Dexterity: 1
Achievement(s) Unlocked:
Defier Of Odds:
> Battle Sim Calculations:
>
> +5%
Big Game Hunter:
> Damage Against Larger Targets:
>
> +5%
>
> Chance For Successful Take Down Against Larger Targets:
>
> +5%
>
> Growth From Smaller Targets:
>
> -5%
Power Fantasy:
> Actions That Defy The Status Quo:
>
> +5% Growth
>
> +5% Physical
>
> -5% Social Repercussions
Recalibrating Battle Simulation…
Target Added to Database:
Powly ‘Chunky’ Brate
Experience Fighting Children, Human:
Increased…
Experience Fighting Larger Targets:
Increased…
Experience Fighting Humanoids:
Increased…
Experience Fighting…