I stared at the shriveled husk of the corpse, surprised at the damage I’d inflicted. The inkling had been there, and my idea had been sound, but damn if it hadn’t done a lot more than I’d counted on. The fact that a targeted critical to an advanced weapon system like this could do so much damage to the pilot was something I’d have to keep in mind for the future. Otherwise that’d end up being me on the floor, smoking and charred, my ghost ascending to heaven.

Not something I was ever going to deal with if I didn’t have to.

I reached down and grabbed the man’s leg, feeling it slough and slop through my fingers. It was enough, though. The loot screen popped open, and I found not just a common Bruiser card, but also a cool-looking helmet. It reminded me of Cobra Commander. I put it into my inventory, then opened up the stat box.

Coner Point-Defense Helm (very rare)

Damage reduction: 50 physical, -100 energy

This item amplifies energy based damage that impacts the wearer.

This item, when paired to a vehicle, grants vehicle anti-ballistic defense points in a number equal to the level of the user. Defense points disintegrate ballistic attacks of any damage, weight, or velocity unless otherwise noted.

That made sense. It was a hell of a double-edged sword. Would probably be good for Sug, but I had my reservations about it. My Volt Surge attack only blasted enemies with 1 to 8 damage. I didn’t know how many times the pilot had been hit, but the item’s drawback had made the minor attack into an incredibly deadly one. No wonder the guy was a blackened corpse.

Hell, all I’d been planning was to short out the mech’s drive system.

Still, how common was that sort of attack? I’d barely managed it, and I was hyped with so many buff cards and the legendary that Dr. Kevin had given me. It was easy to think things were easy when you had OP loot.

I gave in. “Hey Sug, got something here made special for drivers and pilots.” I handed the item over and saw his eyes widen, a grin rise upon his face.

“Kickin, Poombah. Thanks!”

I raised my hand and waved him off. “No problem. Just, you know, if you see some crazy guy running at you and you can’t seem to shake him, do the smart thing and get rid of that helm. Don’t end up like that crazy commander did.”

Sug nodded. Over the battlefield I saw the Heso Marketplace crew moving over their dead and the dead of the enemy, laying on hands and taking away inventory. I also saw Hina walking on a direct path towards us. Towards me. Under her eyes hung black bags, within them criss-cross red and tired capillaries.

“I supposed this is the part where I’m supposed to grovel and say my hero?” she asked. I saw a line of red had been cut into her cheek, and her health pretty much matched mine.

I sighed. “Look, we got off on the wrong foot at the start. But to be honest, it doesn’t matter. All of the crap that’s happened, it’s behind us as far as I am concerned. This battle, this fight, this city, it’s a death trap. Especially now that the gangs are all fighting each other for territory. I guess what I am saying is this is the part where I tell you that I’m going to stop the violence, make everything safe for everybody, and I beg you to join the cause.”

Hina’s jaw dropped open and I can say that mine almost did as well. Those were solid words. While the system might be whirring away, figuring out dice rolls versus her resistances and my Charm or whatever the hell it did, I’d actually said the right thing.

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

A glimmer of holy-crap-I’m-getting-good-at-this passed through my being. I looked over at my griefers and saw them staring as well.

“Poombah for President, 2024,” Ice said. The others laughed. Hina, meanwhile, had dropped her eyes to the blood and oil soaked dirt in front of her shop.

“Make the city safe?” she asked, her voice small and uncharacteristically timid. She looked up, her gaze sharp and searching. “What does that even mean? How?”

“We’re going to take down the Boss. Then take down everyone else who is causing trouble. Make a real life for everyone.” I paused, taking in my words. Wasn’t I planning to take off after the Boss died? My head clouded. What the hell was I saying?

The words felt dead on though. Again. And I just let my mouth keep going.

“Here’s the thing, Hina. I’ve been here, what, a week? And this place is a crap hole. It’s worse now, but it wasn’t looking so great when I got here either. I’ve been in lots of crap holes, fought to save them, and failed. Every single time.”

Images of the sandy mountains surrounded me. Bombs exploding. Machine guns and AK-47s rattling their death all around. The adults, well, a number of them weren’t innocent. But the children . . . I shook it away.

“All of those times I didn’t have the power. I couldn’t call the shots. But it is different now. I’ve got my own gang, a tough one with its own assets and its own power. And I’m the Poombah in charge. With your help, and the help of anyone else who will join me, I plan to take over the city and make everything right and good. Stop the violence. Give everyone a safe and even happy place to live.”

A flicker of movement caught my attention. Turning, I saw that a mob of Heso Marketplacers were growing, watching our interaction. Robots, cat-women, lizard-men, people of every species and stripe. They were watching us parlay in total silence, their faces and bodies just as worn as Hina’s.

“And I suppose we must all join your realm and become your subjects to achieve this peace?” Hina asked. Her voice wasn’t stained with the harsh accent of vindictiveness. Instead, it revealed a bitter resignation that I’d never heard or expected from her.

“No! Everyone joins as partners! I refuse to be the king or emperor. Besides, after everything is set and peaceful here, I’ll be moving along to help out some other city.”

Her face crunched into a mixture of confusion and hope. “I’ll confer with the rest of the residents. But, if you can stop the Celestial Divine from taking over our marketplace, I can tell you that I agree with your proposal.”

+200 Reputation with Hina Owari. Congratulations! You’ve reached 0 Reputation with Hina Owari, and have returned to Neutral.

I nodded. “Yep, I’ve got a plan for that.”

She moved closer. “Can you tell me what it is?”

“Yep. Me and my boys, we’re gonna head on over there. And we’re going to talk.”

Hina stared at me. “You are going to talk to the Celestial Divine? What with our defenses basically broken, most of the good stuff in my store used up, every advantage they’d been waiting for now just sitting in their lap . . . you are going to walk to their camp and tell them, what, that you gonna make this a better place. For you, and for me, and for the entire human race?”

I frowned. Sounded dumb when she said it. But what else could I do? Actually, there was plenty I could do. I could sneak over there with the griefers, infiltrate and just start smashing. The fights had been surprisingly easy, all things considered.

I grimaced, looking at my HP, then grabbing up some healing.

Alright, maybe not so easy. But they were doable was the thing. Was I doing the wrong thing by giving up the possible element of surprise and just marching up there to give them a talking to?

I nodded and smiled. “Smart lady. Alright, listen up everybody. Here’s the plan. We are going to march on the camp, surround the place, while I march in on my lonesome and parley. Just me and Hina—”

“What?” she shrieked, comically, her pitch rising. “I’m not suicidal. No thank you.”

I bent to her ear and whispered. “Look, we are the leaders of our factions. It’s gotta be us. The rest of them, let them take cover and advantageous firing positions. Let them be as safe as they can be in case we can’t talk this faction out attacking Heso Market. Alright?”

Hina growled and I lost 50 reputation points with her.

“You’ll be safe. You’ll be with me.”

The look she cast me could have dropped Godzilla to half health.

I turned back to the rest of the lot. “I don’t know if I can talk them out of this, but surely they have got to be at least a little intimidated.” I laughed. “After all, they haven’t attacked yet. But if they do, don’t worry about us. Stay safe and eliminate targets on the battlefield as tactically as you can. We can take care of our own.”

“Push comes to shove, I’m not going to save you,” Hina growled in a low voice.

I beamed. If push came to shove, I was pretty sure I’d be a dead man.