Perk Names Perk Descriptions Focused Mind Dramatically heightens your ability to concentrate, allowing for near-instant execution of complex mental tasks and nullifying most external distractions Sharp Intuition Provides a strong, reliable intuition about immediate future events, allowing you to anticipate and counter threats before they occur consistently. Sensory Expansion Temporarily supercharges one sense to superhuman levels, enabling detection of even the faintest environmental changes or hidden entities. Thought Shield Provides near-impenetrable mental defenses, making you immune to all but the most powerful mental intrusions. Mind's Eye Grants a deep, almost telepathic understanding of others' emotions and intentions of your enemies, allowing you to predict their actions with high accuracy.
As I looked through the perks, I felt quite weird. Thought Shield was basically useless for now because psychics were almost non-existent. Sensory Expansion was not needed because I already had crazy insane senses. Though I do wonder if I stack them both, I would rather not choose a dud. Sharp Intuition was quite similar to the Danger Sense I got from Street Brawler's perks. But I would assume that Sharp Intuition was more powerful and versatile than danger sense. Focused Mind would allow me to focus even if I was under extreme stress. Mind's Eye would be quite useful in battle, just like Focused Mind.
I sighed. Which one should I choose? Both the Mind's Eye and Focused Mind are really powerful. I'll shelf Sharp Intuition for now and decide if I want it at a later date. Let's see which one would be better. If I was in battle and I was injured, I would surely be distracted. That way, Focused Mind would make my life a lot easier. And because of Danger Sense, it would activate as soon as I notice that I'm in danger. As for Mind's Eye, when I'm fighting, I would be able to predict their moves, which could make me less likely to injure myself in the first place. But that wouldn't solve the issue of ambushes... Hmm... Focused Mind it is then.
I clicked on it. The window disappeared and... I didn't feel anything. One thing I noticed was that after I chose it, I felt like my mind wasn't running at full capacity. I would guess that was how the perk worked. Whenever I wanted, I could make my mind work at full speed, which would make me focus more. Let's give it a try, shall we?
I immediately found myself unable to move. Or it would be more accurate to say that I could move but very slowly. It seems like my mind sped up so much that everything seems to be moving slowly. I wondered at the ability. It was very powerful. Whenever I was in a pickle, I could activate it and have time to think about what to do. Is this what it means by 'allowing for near-instant execution of complex mental tasks'? Technically true, I guess.
I stopped thinking at maximum speed, which sped the time back up to normal speed. All of a sudden, I was hit with a sense of fatigue.
I sighed out for a moment. Now that Nova was gone, my mind was truly blank. I didn't know what to do. I supposed doing more rigs should be fine.
With just a thought, I dialed Eliz. Her face appeared on the right side of my HUD, which was recently updated by the implant. "Whoa, you got a new update?" Her face was very animated.
I chuckled, "Yep, It's a QI Argos-Class implant. Whatcha think? Pretty cool, right?"
"High-end chrome, huh? How'd you have the money to pay for it though?"
I grinned sheepishly, "I don't. It's on a loan. That's the reason I called you."
"What? To borrow from me too?"
I rolled my eyes, "Of course not. I wanna ask if you had a good paying gig."
She nodded, her eyes turning orange as she accessed her own personal network. "Let me see what's buzzing in the grid... Alright, so we got a few runners. One of my fixers flagged a gig that's light on the danger scale. You'd be playing mentor—teaching a brat some hand-to-hand, maybe a bit of street smarts. The kid's got rich folks, so the creds are good, but they're looking for someone discreet and professional. Think you can handle being a glorified babysitter with a bonus payout?"
"What's the pay?" I asked. Never bad to make sure.
Eliz smirked, "Fair enough. Let me tap into the details... Hmm... found it. 7K. Not bad for playing babysitter, right? Plus, with rich folks, there's always a chance for a little bonus if you impress 'em. Easy job, good pay. What do you say? It's a long-time job though."
I considered the offer for a second. It paid more than my first assassination job, which was ironic. Goes to show just how valuable life is in this city.
"Alright, I'll take it. Send me the deets," I finally said.
Eliz nodded, her eyes flashing as she transmitted the information. "Done. You've got the deets now. The kid's name is Alix, spoiled but not too bad from what I hear. Parents are uptight, though. Don't let 'em freak you out. They want you to start tonight."
"Got it. Anything else I should know?"
She leaned back, thinking for a moment. "Just remember, rich kids in this city are like clay pots. They seem sturdy, but they're easier to break than they look. And the parents? They're the real dealmakers. Keep 'em happy, and you'll get through this with a fat stack of creds. If things go sideways, call me. I've got contacts that can help smooth things over."
"Alright, I'll own you one."
She laughed, "Nah, think of it as a gift. That's what friends are for right? Stay safe out there, and don't let the chrome go to your head."
"Don't worry, I will." I hang up.
I looked over the job details that Eliz sent over.
JOB DETAILS: PERSONAL TRAINER / MENTOR
Client Alix Vandermeer Location Upper-Middle-Class Residential Area/ Section - 19 Apartment Complex: The Emerald Heights Unit: Penthouse 7B Role Personal Trainer / Mentor Objective Provide self-defense training and basic street smarts. Training Focus
- Basic hand-to-hand combat techniques
- Basic gun handling
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
- Situational awareness
- Confidence-building exercises
Requirements
- Professionalism: Maintain a professional demeanor.
- Discretion: Confidentiality is crucial.
- Respect: Be respectful to the client and parents. Schedule
Start Date: Today, 09:00 PM
Duration: Initial period of one week, extendable.
Compensation
Base Pay: 7,000 credits per lesson
Bonus Potential: Possible based on client satisfaction.
Up to 100% of Base Pay.
NDA Bonus: Additional 1,000 credits upon signing a strict non-disclosure agreement.
Primary Contact
Miriam Vandermeer (Mother)
Direct line and encrypted contact link provided
Secondary Contact
Jonas Vandermeer (Father)
Direct line and encrypted contact link provided
Special Notes
- Privacy: The Vandermeers value privacy; discretion is paramount.
- Security: Cooperate with building security personnel.
Emergency Protocols Contact Ms. Elizabeth Kate immediately if issues arise; she will coordinate additional support if necessary. Additional Instructions Materials/Equipment: Request in advance; avoid outside purchases.
Quite detailed. 7,000 per lesson? Damn. And an additional 1,000 for a NDA agreement? I calculated mentally, If I worked for just...42 lessons, I would be able to pay my implant off. I laughed at my delusions. Who would hire me for an entire 42 days? Absolutely nobody. I shook my head. At least this would increase my rep as someone who knows how to fight and shoot.
I'll need to plan in advance for this gig. Let's see. They said to avoid outside purchases. Let's let them know first. I sent them a message through the encrypted lines they provided. I requested training pads, a few practice weapons, and a shooting range. That should be enough. After that, I started drafting the training plan for Alix. Assuming that the kid was inexperienced, I had to start with the fundamentals to know just how much I would have to teach the kid.
After making the lesson plan, I continued studying coding. I had reached the point of being able to do some bigger projects with it. Like for example, creating a game. Granted, it's a simple 3d semi-open world game with no story but a game nonetheless. This gave me an idea. I could probably make indie games to make some money but I shook my head. It was too slow.
I focused back on the task at hand, finalizing the lesson plan for Alix. With everything ready, I checked the time. It was getting close to the start of the session. I grabbed my gear and headed out, taking a secure route to The Emerald Heights. I sighed at the fact that I still didn't have a vehicle to call my own. I was thinking of getting a bike from Eclypse Dynamics but it cost around 10,000 credits.
I finally arrived in front of The Emerald Heights after 18 minutes of riding across the city with public transport. The building was even more impressive in person, towering over the rest of the buildings in Section 19 with its sleek design and state-of-the-art security.
When I arrived, the two guards stopped me to check my credentials and equipment. They were super chromed out and after making sure, they let me through. Somehow, riding that elevator to the top made me somewhat uncomfortable. I was quite used to hearing everything now. I couldn't hear any sound of machinery in the elevator and it felt too smooth.
After riding up the painfully long elevator with equally painfully bad elevator music, I finally reached the top. I thought to myself, I guess some stuff just doesn't change, no matter how advanced the tech becomes.
The elevator door opened directly into the penthouse. The place felt cold, devoid of life. With white and gray being overused, it felt unnecessarily futuristic. The floor beneath my feet was some kind of polished stone, dark and glossy, reflecting the dim, ambient lighting. Ahead, the space opened up into the main living area, where floor-to-ceiling windows showcased a panoramic view of the city, its lights twinkling like a galaxy of stars beneath a blanket of smog. I sighed. I can not go back, can I? I missed my old life. Even though it was unexciting and dull, being safe was ultimately better than being exciting.
I heard someone walking behind me, "Are you Ms. Night?"
I turned around. It was a middle-aged man with a large beard. I nodded, "Yes, and I'm assuming you're Mr. Vandermeer?"
"Yes, of course. Wonderful to meet you this lovely evening." Mr. Vandermeer extended a hand, his grip firm but not overbearing. His attire was a mix of casual and refined—a well-tailored suit jacket over a plain shirt and dark trousers, making him look somewhat mismatched.
I shook his hand. He nodded at me. "Strong grip," he remarked.
"Thanks," I replied curtly.
"Oh, right. You're here for Alix's training, right? Right this way, please."
I observed the place. I could hear the very faint violin playing in the background. It wasn't far away but it sounded suppressed. Must be really soundproof for me not to hear it clearly. As I followed Mr. Vandermeer into the training area, I noticed the tension in his demeanor. He seemed polite but cautious as if he was trying to maintain control over the situation. As we entered the training area, I noticed it was as pristine as the rest of the penthouse—gleaming surfaces, cutting-edge equipment, everything in its place. But there was an eerie sterility to it, like it had never truly been used for its intended purpose. I also saw a young guy, who I assumed was Alix, standing there with a smirk on his face, holding a custom-made training sword like it was nothing more than a toy. He couldn’t have been more than seventeen, but his attitude was one of someone who believed the world revolved around him. I shook my head disapprovingly. That kind of attitude was the worst kind you could bring to this world.
“This is the new trainer, huh?” Alix’s voice dripped with sarcasm as he looked me up and down. "Dad, why did you hire her? She's gonna be incompetent, like everybody else before."
"Don't be rude. She'll be teaching you from now on," Mr Vandermeer shook his head, reprimanding him. He continued with a tone of exasperation and discomfort, "Just show some fucking respect, will you?"
Alix rolled his eyes and tossed the sword aside carelessly. “Yeah, whatever. Let’s get this over with. I’m already better than any of these so-called trainers they send.”
I glanced at Mr. Vandermeer, then back at Alix. “Before we start,” I said, turning to his father, “I need to know one thing. Do I have the authority to teach him however I see fit? No limits?”
He hesitated for a moment, "Well, as long as you don’t do anything that could permanently harm him...”
I grinned, "Perfect."
I hated people like Alix. Arrogant and yet, wholly incompetent. I could tell just from the way he held his sword. He hadn't really fought before. Nor had he been trained properly. I stepped onto the training pad. "Since you think you are better than me, let's skip the basics, yeah? Let's have a spar first. Let's see how you do, huh?"
The punk grinned. He had the gall to grin! What an asshole. He raised his sword in a sloppy stance. Any half-competent fighter could take him in a second. He closed in on me. His strike was terribly telegraphed and wasn't even aiming at me! It was aiming at my sword! The punk clearly watched some ass movie and announced himself as a master in fighting. I didn't even need to dodge properly or use any of my perks. I just sidestepped and moved past him, my wooden sword hitting his arm, and leg in one single motion.
I chuckled, "There. Now your right leg and right arm are gone if this was a real fight. What will you do?"
His face twisted, and he cursed back at me, "Couldn't you have hit a bit softer? Damn woman."
I raised my sword with a smile, "Do you wanna get hit again?"
"Uhhhh, no."
"Let's try that again, shall we?"
We got back into position and this time, he didn't move first. He clearly thought that he could defend against me. Boy was he wrong. I moved forward quickly and tapped his sword away to the left. After that, I closed the remaining distance, and the tip of the wooden sword stopped before his neck.
"There, dead again."
He stammered, "That doesn't count. I'm not really proficient in sword fighting. I'm better in shooting and hand-to-hand."
I laughed, "Alright then. We'll see just how bad you are."