Chapter Seven: Collecting the Pieces
The early morning haze wrapped the city in muted greys as Zero woke with a familiar sensation—a slight buzz in the back of his mind, like the hum of an engine idling. His HUD flickered into view with a cheerful chime, throwing a cascade of notifications across his vision.
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[Level 7 Reached: Pending Rewards and Upgrades]
- Skill Points Available: 3
- Rewards Pending:
- Alliance Potential with Jefferson High Wrestling Team.
- Enhanced Reputation in Westbrook High.
- Territory Stabilization Bonuses.
---
Zero stretched, feeling the tension in his muscles from yesterday’s skirmish. His mind raced. He couldn’t afford to leave these rewards untapped—not with the Stone Street Gang looming and his newly acquired territory still unstable.
“Time to clean up,” he muttered, summoning the skill tree.
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#### Step One: Allocating Skill Points
The HUD shimmered, revealing three glowing skill branches: Combat, Mobility, and Analysis. Each pulse of light felt like a challenge, daring him to pick wisely.
Combat Tree: Chain Strike
“Chaining Power Strikes could be useful, especially against tougher opponents. But the reduced damage…” Zero frowned, filing it as a future consideration.
Mobility Tree: Combat Momentum
“This one’s tempting,” he mused. “Smoother transitions could make my combos deadlier without burning stamina.”
Analysis Tree: Advanced Combat Prediction
His eyes lingered on the glowing node. “Expanding my prediction accuracy? That’s a game-changer for fights with skilled opponents or groups.”
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[Skill Point Spent: Advanced Combat Prediction Acquired]
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The HUD pulsed again, revealing another option in the Mobility Tree.
[Skill Point Spent: Combat Momentum Acquired]
---
With one point left, Zero scrolled back to the Combat Tree.
[Skill Point Spent: Chain Strike Acquired]
He felt a rush of energy flood his limbs, as though the skills were already integrating into his body.
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#### Step Two: Assessing Skills and Stats
The HUD switched to his character screen, displaying everything in crisp, cyan-blue text:
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[Current Stats]
- Level: 7
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- Health: 200
- Strength: 14
- Agility: 13
- Defense: 13
- Endurance: 13
[Skills Acquired]
- Core Combat: Power Strike, Sharp Strike, Counter Punch Mastery.
- Defensive: Grapple Defense, Defense Mastery, Dodge Master.
- Mobility: Quick Step, Combat Flow, Combat Momentum.
- Analysis: Combat Analysis, Enhanced Vision, Advanced Combat Prediction.
- Special: Time Dilation.
---
Zero ran his fingers through his hair, his mind already analyzing his arsenal.
1. Combat Strengths:
- Power Strike + Chain Strike: Devastating combos, ideal for finishing moves or overwhelming single opponents.
- Advanced Combat Prediction: Perfect for spotting enemy counters and avoiding critical mistakes.
2. Mobility and Defense:
- Combat Flow: Maximizes stamina efficiency during prolonged fights.
- Grapple Defense: Essential against close-range foes like wrestlers or grapplers.
- Dodge Master + Quick Step: Excellent for evading high-speed strikes or repositioning mid-fight.
3. Analysis Tools:
- Enhanced Vision + Advanced Combat Prediction: Gives a significant edge against unpredictable or multiple opponents.
4. Weaknesses:
- Lacks crowd control tools for handling multiple enemies simultaneously.
- No long-range abilities—entirely reliant on melee.
“Not bad,” he muttered. “But I’ll need to close those gaps fast.”
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#### Step Three: Planning Active Quests
Zero toggled to the quest log.
[Active Quests]
1. Territory Control: Power Vacuum
- Objective: Stabilize Westbrook High.
- Progress: 35% (Eastern Alliance Secured).
- Challenges:
- Potential attempts by rival groups to encroach on Westbrook High territory.
- Stone Street Gang’s expansion into neutral zones.
2. Rising Champion
- Objective: Build a stronger reputation within Westbrook and neighboring districts.
- Suggested Actions:
- Establish alliances with weaker groups in the Southern District.
- Take on Stone Street operatives to cement authority.
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Zero tapped on Territory Control for a deeper analysis.
The HUD displayed a map, highlighting threat zones:
- Northern District: High threat, Stone Street Gang encroaching (Levels 7-10).
- Eastern Zone: Low threat, Jefferson High wrestlers maintaining peace.
- Westbrook Core: Low threat, secured loyalty from Tommy Wu and former Derek loyalists.
“Stone Street is the priority,” Zero decided, zooming into their marked territory. The HUD provided detailed profiles of their top operatives, tagging a name:
[Target Identified: Jax, Level 9]
- Specialty: Close-quarters combat.
- Known Weakness: Overconfidence, relies on brute strength.
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#### Step Four: Planning Strategy
Zero sat back, running the scenarios through his mind. He needed to hit hard, but strategically.
Plan A: Take Out Jax
- Purpose: Dismantle Stone Street’s leadership structure.
- Method:
1. Use Combat Prediction to counter Jax’s brute-force attacks.
2. Exploit weaknesses with Sharp Strike and Power Strike.
3. Rely on Combat Flow and Dodge Master to outlast him.
Plan B: Strengthen Alliances
- Purpose: Fortify weaker territories (e.g., Southern District).
- Method:
1. Negotiate with smaller groups, offering protection in exchange for loyalty.
2. Use Jefferson High’s wrestlers as a deterrent against hostile factions.
Plan C: Test New Skills
- Purpose: Prepare for larger-scale confrontations.
- Method:
1. Practice Chain Strike combos in controlled environments.
2. Test Advanced Combat Prediction in multi-opponent scenarios.
3. Use Time Dilation to master grappling techniques before facing Jax.
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#### Step Five: Collecting Pending Rewards
Zero tapped on the glowing icon for his pending rewards.
[Reward Unlocked: Jefferson High Alliance]
- Wrestling Team Support: Marcus and his team available for reinforcements.
- Reputation Boost: Increased influence in Jefferson High and Eastern Zone.
[Reward Unlocked: Enhanced Reputation]
- School Status: Recognized as Westbrook High’s de facto leader.
- Bonus: New skill options unlocked for grappling and mobility trees.
---
As the notifications faded, Zero stood, a grin spreading across his face.
“This is going to be fun.”
He glanced at the HUD map, the flashing icon for the Northern District drawing his focus. Jax and the Stone Street Gang wouldn’t know what hit them.
Zero slung his bag over his shoulder, the morning light casting sharp shadows across the room.