《World of Combat: A Dystopia Gamelit Series》 Chapter 01 Happy Birthday ¡°When the world began to fall apart, we all assumed the government would eventually show up and fix everything back to the way it was. We were wrong.¡± ¡ª Anonymous Journal #21, Oath Keepers Archive of Truth, Volume 12
The blow rocked Kiriai¡¯s head and the familiar copper taste filled her mouth. She staggered back a step and shook her head to clear her thoughts. This wasn¡¯t the birthday present she¡¯d been hoping for when she woke up this morning. ¡°Do you need a break again?¡± asked Sento as he waited for her to recover. ¡°I just need to run through this new combo a couple more times and it¡¯ll be ready to use in the dispute arena on Saturday.¡± ¡°Who are you up against? Which ¡¯zen are you representing? What¡¯s the dispute?¡± Sento raised one eyebrow. Kiriai felt stupid. He was her only chance and she was going to ruin it by acting like another annoying fan. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just curious about the other aspects of being a scrapper and how it all works,¡± Kiriai said, hoping to sound more like a serious student. ¡°I have a lot to learn and I appreciate how much you¡¯re teaching me.¡± Kiriai held her breath, hoping the touch of flattery would help pry more answers from the experienced fighter. He considered her words as he stood in a relaxed fighting stance, hardly showing any effects from their last hour of intense training. His short, black hair didn¡¯t have a strand out of place. On the other hand, Kiriai was a sweaty mess, clad in her faded uniform that showed her ankles after a recent growth spurt. Sento wore a tailored gi, Jitaku¡¯s green and white patch a bright spot of color against the black fabric. His pale skin gleamed in a way that accentuated his striking looks. Even his nose, slightly crooked from previous fights, added a rugged quality to his face. A few inches taller than she, he outweighed her with muscles chiseled by his life as a hood scrapper. ¡°I¡¯m fighting against Scrapper Hando,¡± he finally said. ¡°The two-striper who¡¯s got some really good kicks?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Sento said, surprise and a touch of approval on his face. Kiriai struggled to keep a serious expression on her face when she really wanted to grin like an idiot. All those hours at the arena would pay off today. She could just feel it. ¡°Hando is lower rank than I am,¡± Sento said with a casual gesture at the fighter¡¯s implant on the back of his neck. The flexible rectangle glowed white with three yellow stripes, tangible proof of Sento¡¯s rank and skill. Kiriai wanted one of her own so badly she could taste it. ¡°¡ªbut he¡¯s sneaky with those kicks and has surprised others before me. If you want to be a good scrapper, remember that information and preparation can be even more valuable than fighting skills sometimes.¡± Kiriai nodded but stayed silent, hoping the interested expression on her face would prompt Sento to say more. It worked. ¡°The dispute is actually an interesting one this time, though I get paid the same as I do for the boring ones. ¡¯Zen Tenshu, a shop owner, suspected one of his employees had been stealing from him. Instead of reporting it to the ¡¯forcers, he set a trap in the locked cupboard where he stored the valuable jewelry at night¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re fighting in the chopped off hand dispute?!¡± Kiriai couldn¡¯t help herself. The story had made the rounds of the entire hood within hours. Sento pursed his lips. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to work. I still have a lot to do today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting,¡± Kiriai said and ducked her head into a repentant posture. When would she learn to think before speaking? ¡°Please continue. I know how little fact there is in gossip and I¡¯d love to hear the story from someone directly involved, like you.¡± Sento hesitated, looking indecisive. ¡°Please?¡± Kiriai looked up, hoping he¡¯d relent. She resolved not to say a single word if Sento decided to share the rest of the story. The older fighter sighed, but Kiriai could see the story pushing to be told. It was too sensational to keep bottled up. ¡°Well, Tenshu posted a warning sign on the door about the booby trap. The stupid employee thought the sign was just a decoy. One night, he snuck in and pried open the cupboard anyway and¡±¡ªnow Sento¡¯s eyes were gleaming with amusement¡ª¡°as soon as he reached into the cupboard, the machete came slamming down and cut off his hand.¡± Kiriai flinched at the visual image. ¡°The fixers were able to stop the bleeding, but couldn¡¯t save the hand. Most ¡¯zens thought it was perfect justice. The idiot showed up at hood headquarters to file a dispute against his boss for the future amount of credits he will lose being a one-handed worker. Normally the hood magistrate would refuse such a frivolous dispute, but Hood Boss Akuto doesn¡¯t want to encourage vigilante justice, so he¡¯s letting this one through.¡± Kiriai shook her head, grinning at all the drama. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you win and teach that idiot what happens to thieves, especially stupid ones.¡± Sento didn¡¯t return her grin. ¡°Kiriai¡ªI¡¯m fighting for the thief, not the shopkeeper.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Sento scoffed and Kiriai felt foolish all over again. ¡°Just because the ¡¯zens get to choose their scrappers, doesn¡¯t mean we get a choice. We fight when and where we¡¯re told. Besides, I get paid the same for a win, no matter what side of a dispute I am on.¡± He took a closer look at her. ¡°What? Change your mind about wanting to be a scrapper?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kiriai hastened to answer. ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t all fame and glory. Not only is it a ton of brutal and painful work, there is a dark underbelly to the whole business that the fans never see. Still interested?¡± Kiriai wasn¡¯t a stranger to hard work. Making any headway as a smaller girl in the dusty rings of the youth arena was no easy task. And there wasn¡¯t anything else like the thrill of the fight when she pushed her body and it responded, faster and harder than her opponent. Victory was so much sweeter for the number of failures that came before. ¡°You¡¯re smiling.¡± Kiriai tried to summon back a sober expression. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°That smile tells me a lot.¡± Kiriai wasn¡¯t sure what he meant, but decided to keep quiet. She didn¡¯t need any more naive words to come out of her mouth. ¡°You ready to go again?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she said and used her tongue to probe her swelling lip. That punch had hurt. She wiped the back of a hand across her forehead and blew out a breath before putting her hands up again. Seeing she was ready, Sento gave her a nod and settled into his stance. Kiriai tensed, bent her knees and gripped the worn bamboo floor of her home dojo with her feet. Their practice session was almost over and Kiriai still hadn¡¯t figured out how to broach the subject more important to her than anything else in her life right now. If she didn¡¯t say something soon, she could lose everything. Kiriai¡¯s thoughts were scattered as Sento charged at her with the same five-move sequence he¡¯d practiced for the last quarter hour. Her job was to give him an opponent to practice on and if she could manage it, block a few moves. He moved so fast, she wasn¡¯t doing so well with the second. The first, though, that wasn¡¯t difficult, just painful. This time, Sento went easier on her, pulling his punches at the last instant. It wouldn¡¯t do to ruin his practice partner. The sequence done, Sento stepped back and cleared his throat. He was ready to go again. She would really love to rest, but there was no way she would tell him that. ¡°Do you need a break, kid, or can we finish?¡± Sento asked as if he could read her mind. Kiriai tamped down her annoyance. She was lucky to have a shot to work with such an experienced scrapper, not to mention one who hadn¡¯t given away his sponsor token yet. He held the key to getting a shot at her dream, but she had to get it from him today. She put her hands back up, but his condescension still rankled. He had been a beginner once, himself, hadn¡¯t he? She didn¡¯t think before she spoke. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid. You¡¯re only two years older than me. I may not be a scrapper, but I¡¯ve been fighting and training since I could walk.¡± Kiriai clamped her mouth shut. She looked to see how much she¡¯d annoyed the scrapper. Instead of being angry, Sento barked out a laugh of surprise. He eased back, stretched his neck side to side and shook his hands out. Kiriai let out a relieved sigh. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve always liked about you, kid,¡± Sento said, emphasizing the nickname. ¡°You¡¯re fearless. That is worth its weight in gold in a scrapper.¡± Her time was up. It was now or never. She couldn¡¯t wait any longer for Sento to offer her the promised payment. Kiriai¡¯s heart started racing and her mouth went dry. She struggled to seem nonchalant as she spoke. ¡°I need to ask about the sponsor token you promised me.¡± She wasn¡¯t able to hide the hint of desperation in her tone. ¡°It¡¯s been weeks now and I¡¯m running out of time. Actually, I need it today.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your hurry, kid? You still need more training time before you¡¯re ready to be thrown into the scrapper ring. You think this is tough?¡± He shook his head and Kiriai saw how little he thought of her skills. ¡°Besides, I only have one sponsor token. I have to choose who I think will be the best fighter for the hood before I decide who to give it to. Plus, I want someone who wins a lot. The sponsor commissions can build into quite a pile of credits in two years.¡± ¡°What?¡± She struggled not to yell. She¡¯d been so patient and now he was going to welsh on their agreement. ¡°We had a deal. I spar with you, and you give me the sponsor token. And now you¡¯re saying it¡¯s all about credits? You can¡¯t give it to someone else!¡± Instead of anger, a haughty coldness filled his face. Kiriai gulped. He was happy to tolerate her as a practice partner, but not if she challenged him. ¡°I never promised you the token,¡± he countered. ¡°If you recall the terms of our ¡¯rangement, you agreed to spar with me in private, and I agreed to give you my sponsor token when I decided you were ready to become a scrapper.¡± He scoffed and shook his head. ¡°Who knows when I will decide you¡¯re ready? What if you never are?¡± The outrage that filled Kiriai at his deception hurt much worse than the blow to the head. He was right. That had been their ¡¯rangement. Besides, she had no real power to force him to give her his token. With a sinking feeling, she realized it was in his favor the longer he strung her along. Anger and desperation built in her chest. She had to make this work! Her grandfather, Ojisan, had been pressuring her for a decision and today, her birthday, was his deadline. The image of him last night popped into her head, a white-haired older man pulled up to his full height, which still only reached her chin. His lined face had been stern, his finger waving, and his words were delivered with the presumption that everyone in hearing would jump to obey. ¡°You¡¯ll be sixteen-years-old tomorrow and it¡¯s time to commit to your path. I expect you to officially start your fixer apprenticeship under my direction by nightfall tomorrow. You¡¯ve been blessed with the mind and work ethic to be a great healer. You¡¯ll learn to save lives, like those of your parents. You need to put aside your childish fancies.¡± And then, as if he had been giving her some great concession, he had added, ¡°You may take the day to come to terms with the significant commitment this signifies in your life.¡± Her face must have been fairly distraught because at the end he had softened enough to give her a half smile before patting her on the shoulder and saying softly, ¡°It¡¯s time to grow up, Kiriai-chan.¡± Just remembering how he treated her, and bringing up her parents that way, made her blood boil. Just because he couldn¡¯t save them didn¡¯t mean she had to be stuck with a lifetime of mixing herbs and tending sick patients alongside him. It would be torture. And how could he be oblivious to how much she loved fighting, how good she was? She had one way out: convince Sento to give her his token so she could officially become a Jitaku Hood scrapper. She refused to give up her dream without fighting to the last second. With renewed determination, she settled back into a stance and put her hands up. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll show you I¡¯m ready to be a scrapper. Let¡¯s go again, Sento? Or are you too tired, old man?¡± He laughed in surprise. ¡°I thought you¡¯d had enough for the morning. But I¡¯m happy to go another round before I have to get back to hood headquarters.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± she interrupted him as he moved into his own fighting stance. ¡°Let¡¯s up the stakes for this last bout,¡± she said, knowing how much he loved a challenge. He smiled and Kiriai¡¯s hope flared back to life. ¡°Sure, kid. What did you have in mind?¡± Then his expression sobered. ¡°But it can¡¯t be money. That¡¯s like taking candy from a baby. It has to be something that won¡¯t steal food off your table.¡± Kiriai felt her face flush. Even Sento knew how tight money was in their household. She shoved that embarrassment to the back of her mind and focused on her desperate plan. She was determined to do better with the terms of this ¡¯rangement than the previous one. This time she had to be the one to manipulate the terms to get what she wanted. ¡°How about if I can land a strike, any strike, on a critical target, in this last bout, you will give me your sponsor token?¡± Sento dropped his hands and took a step back, looking unwilling to follow through on the reward he¡¯d promised her for weeks. Kiriai pushed harder. ¡°I¡¯m just asking for what you promised. If I can land a critical blow, then I¡¯ll be ready, won¡¯t I? I know I¡¯m nowhere close to your level of skill, but I¡¯ve learned a lot from you. If I become a scrapper it will be because of how much you¡¯ve taught me.¡± She added the last, hoping to flatter both his honor and pride. Seconds passed in silence as the young man considered her offer. Kiriai forced herself to relax and project confidence. She was a fighter. She deserved this. Most importantly, she had earned this. When Sento¡¯s face relaxed into an arrogant grin, adrenaline and excitement flared through Kiriai. He was going to agree. ¡°Maybe, kid. But you only mentioned how you would win the bet, not what¡¯s in it for me. We have to do a little ¡¯ranging to settle the details before we start. It¡¯ll be like our own unofficial battle. And since you¡¯re the one who started naming terms, why don¡¯t you finish? Detail the win/loss conditions and prizes.¡± A sudden sense of uncertainty popped her excited bubble. She was a fighter, not a ¡¯ranger. Besides, she had already lost out in their first ¡¯rangement with Sento. She needed all her wits to come up with the words and details that would give her the best chance of winning the token. ¡°Not so sure anymore? Maybe this isn¡¯t the best idea after all.¡± He turned toward the pile of his folded street clothes on a wooden bench against the back wall of the dojo. ¡°¡¯Ranged fights outside the arena are illegal anyway. We can talk about the sponsor token in a few days when I have time for another training session.¡± ¡°No, wait,¡± she almost yelled. He turned around, eyebrows raised. ¡°It has to be today. If I don¡¯t win your token today, I¡¯ll be starting a fixer apprenticeship with my grandfather tomorrow.¡± ¡°Taking care of injuries?¡± ¡°And the sick,¡± Kiriai added, dropping her voice. Sento blanched and raised a hand. ¡°That kind of stuff should stay behind closed doors, in iso.¡± Kiriai had grown up around her grandfather¡¯s work, but she¡¯d run into plenty of ¡¯zens who responded like Sento. Fixing injuries was an accepted part of a society full of arenas, but no one wanted anything to do with illnesses and the sick. Even now, generations later, whispers of the horrible post-blast plagues haunted their society. Kiriai shrugged. ¡°Someone has to do it. My grandfather saves lives, but it¡¯s not the life I want. I want to be a scrapper like you. Will you give me a shot today?¡± Kiriai held her breath as Sento decided what to do. ¡°I¡¯m not going to just give you my token. You have to earn it. The fighter I sponsor has to be a winner.¡± His voice was sharp, but Kiriai thought there was some sympathy in his expression. Kiriai nodded, trying not to look too eager. ¡°Of course. I wouldn¡¯t want your token if I didn¡¯t earn it.¡± It seemed the right thing to say, even if it was a lie. Sento gave her an approving nod. ¡°I¡¯m ready to ¡¯range the terms.¡± A crazy plan was coming together in Kiriai¡¯s mind. ¡°Let¡¯s say this is a training session with a teacher offering a reward as an incentive for doing well,¡± he countered. ¡°And any ¡¯ranging is also strictly for practice, agreed?¡± Kiriai nodded and let out a breath before speaking. Her plan had to work. ¡°I win if I score a blow to a critical target on your body during the bout. My prize¨DI mean incentive¨Dis your sponsor token given to me immediately after the bout. You win if you are able to keep me from scoring a blow to a critical target for the entire bout. Your, uh, compensation for training?¡± she hesitated, hoping the phrasing would skirt the issue of illegal fighting. Sento smiled this time and with a grin Kiriai continued. ¡°¡­ is ten extra sparring sessions, your choice of day and time.¡± Sento stopped, his face giving nothing away as he went over the conditions in his mind. ¡°Twenty sessions,¡± he countered, before adding, ¡°as compensation.¡± Kiriai¡¯s heart almost stopped at the rush of elation that coursed through her body. He was going to make the bargain. She had a chance! She took a steadying breath and forced her voice to remain calm. ¡°Fifteen sessions is a good compromise, don¡¯t you think?¡± she countered, knowing that driving a hard bargain was essential for a fighter. Sento didn¡¯t need to know that she would have happily wagered a year of bouts for the chance at his sponsor token today. ¡°Deal. And two more details,¡± Sento said, raising his hand and making Kiriai¡¯s hopes falter. ¡°We need to define a critical target and the length of the bout in order to best advance your training.¡± Kiriai hesitated. She had to get this right. It took a few moments for her to sift through words and phrases to find the best ones. It didn¡¯t help that she needed to add something to distract Sento so he didn¡¯t examine the wording too closely. Sento waited patiently. Kiriai knew he expected this to be an easy contest and hoped that his arrogance would work against him. With a last mental adjustment to the wording, she said a quick prayer to her ancestors and committed herself. ¡°The length of the bout will be four minutes. A critical target will be defined as a body part that, if injured, will significantly decrease the fighter¡¯s ability to continue to fight, or,¡± she added, raising a hand to stop Sento before he interrupted. She had to distract him from the first part of the ¡¯rangement. ¡°¨Da blow to any portion of the head. I don¡¯t want to lose because you argue that you could continue to fight with a bruised ear. If I can land a blow to any part of your head, that should be enough to earn the token, don¡¯t you think?¡± She shrugged with a sheepish expression acknowledging how unlikely such an event was. Sento considered her words for a few short moments before returning her grin. ¡°Well, I did say that I liked how fearless you are. One four-minute bout and if you can land a blow to my head or another critical target, you¡¯ll have your token before I leave. If not, you¡¯ll owe me fifteen more training sessions.¡± He held out his hand. With a racing heart Kiriai shook it, sealing the ¡¯rangement that gave her one chance at the future her heart was set on. All she had to do was earn it. ¡°Now,¡± Sento said as he stepped back to the standard starting distance for a bout, ¡°you can¡¯t argue that I haven¡¯t been teaching you any fighting skills. The details of the ¡¯rangement are sometimes more important than the fight itself. With this little lesson today, I¡¯ve taught you the basics from start to finish, even though this is just a training exercise.¡± Kiriai hardly heard a word he was saying. She felt like everything was moving too fast. She needed more time to prepare. It was crazy that the next four minutes would determine her entire future. Sento had already settled into a fighting stance, fists clenched, bare feet gripping the bamboo floor and ready to attack. His strength and skill would be obvious to any onlooker while she probably looked like a worried schoolgirl. Kiriai clenched her jaw, chastised herself, and struggled to push aside all the emotions rushing through her. It took a few seconds, but the calm calculation of her inner fighter finally managed to take charge. She took a deep breath and released it slowly through pursed lips. She had one purpose: to hit Sento, just once, in the next four minutes. Chapter 02 The Fight Screen, set bout time for four minutes, with one-minute warnings and a twenty-second final countdown,¡± Sento instructed. Four-minute bout timer set,¡± came the answer as their home screen mounted on the dojo wall flickered to life. The large numbers appeared on the screen, stark against the black background, just waiting for a command to start counting down. Ready?¡± Sento asked, drawing her attention back to the match. Not trusting herself to speak, Kiriai nodded, bent her knees and tightened her focus. Her mouth was so dry, it was hard to swallow. Screen, begin bout timer.¡± As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Sento had exploded across the distance to her. He faked a high blow, kicked her front foot out from under her and with aplomb landed a solid uppercut in the moment she hung mid-air. The forceful blow sent her crashing backward onto the springy wood of the dojo floor and knocked the wind out of her. The uppercut had been perfectly placed, in that sweet spot centered in her torso, just beneath her ribs. She curled on the floor, every muscle in her chest spasming, unable to respond to her commands to breathe. A tiny internal voice reassured her that she would be able to breathe again soon, until it was drowned out by her clawing panic for a breath of air, now. Sento stepped back and stood calmly as the seconds ticked by, waiting to see if she would get up. Seconds passed like hours. Finally, with an unexpected jolt, Kiriai''s muscles let loose, and she gasped in the sweetest breath of air she could ever remember. Get up. She knew she had to get up. She chanted the words in her head and pushed herself to her hands and knees. Her breathing was still ragged, each breath ending in a groan. She finally made it to her feet, settled into a shaky stance and held up her fists. Sento¡¯s gaze met hers and she saw the self-satisfied smirk on his face. It was dawning on her how much of a better fighter he was. He really had been going easy on her, using her to test out his newer, less practiced skills. He had also been giving her a smattering of openings to allow her to learn from him. But this, this was a ¡¯ranged fight, and winning was the goal. He looked determined to keep his sponsor token and wouldn¡¯t leave her a single opening. Kiriai refused to quit. An apprenticeship under her grandfather wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing in the world, but it wasn¡¯t fighting. She forced herself to ignore the pain and focus on the fight. If she won the token and became a scrapper, she¡¯d have to get used to pain like this on a regular basis. Three minutes remaining,¡± the screen announced. Sento seemed to think he had already won. ¡°There¡¯s no shame in losing to an opponent with superior training,¡± he said, his voice calm and confident. His words ignited a mix of outrage and determination. I¡ª¡± She tried to speak, only to have her voice choke without the breath to support it. There would be no chance of winning if she couldn''t draw in a decent breath. Kiriai forced her lungs open with three deep breaths, releasing a loud kiai with the last exhale. Surprise crossed Sento¡¯s face, but was then replaced by a pleased expression. ¡°I have to admit,¡± he said, ¡°I would have been disappointed if you had quit. You have a strong fighting spirit. You just need more training.¡± Well,¡± she said, her voice raspy, ¡°I¡¯ll be getting that training after I win the sponsor token from you today.¡± No one can accuse you of a lack of confidence,¡± he said with a laugh. Kiriai didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she took advantage of his distraction to dart forward, trying a low kick followed by a sequence of punches thrown as fast as she was able. Despite her best efforts, Sento easily slipped to the side, evading her attack and executing his own series, landing a glancing sideways blow beneath her rib cage. It wasn¡¯t a solid hit, but it made her gasp in pain and struggle to catch her breath again.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. The next two minutes passed in a similar fashion. The more experienced fighter easily evaded everything Kiriai could throw at him and landed blow after blow. At least he limited himself to occasional single blows and didn¡¯t seem inclined to knock her out or cause significant injury. It wouldn¡¯t do to break your sparring partner, she thought cynically to herself. One minute remaining.¡± The mechanical voice held no emotion or acknowledgment of the fact that it was counting down to the death of all her hopes. Kiriai stood on shaky legs, panting to get enough air into her lungs. It was a fight to keep despair from winning out. She had a single minute to earn her place as a fighter and she couldn¡¯t let it slip through her fingers. At this point, it was impossible to land a blow against Sento. All she had left was the wording of their ¡¯rangement and the desperate plan she¡¯d hatched before the fight. She had to get close enough. Until now, she¡¯d been chasing a shadow that flitted just out of her reach no matter how hard she tried to hit it. Twenty seconds remaining,¡± said the screen. It was now or never. They had time for one last exchange. Everything depended on Sento underestimating her. If he felt assured of the victory, she might have a chance. With all the energy and speed she had left, Kiriai charged. She had given up on any kind of trained technique and simply threw as many punches, kicks and strikes as she could while throwing herself bodily at her opponent. Nothing landed. It seemed Sento had an even easier time avoiding her flurried attacks and, with a skilled sidestep, was able to slip an uppercut into her side that made her gasp in pain. Kiriai slowed. It wasn¡¯t hard to act as if the fight were over for her. Sento didn¡¯t bother stepping back this time and Kiriai would have smiled if she had had the energy. Ten seconds remaining. Ten, nine, ¡­¡± Kiriai blinked her eyes, struggling to focus her vision. She pushed the pain to the back of her mind, knowing she¡¯d pay for it later. She had to focus. This was it. She hoped that Sento¡¯s arrogance would give her the chance she needed. With a desperate call to her ancestors for luck, Kiriai pulled herself up for one last attack. She knew Sento didn¡¯t have an ounce of compassion during a real fight. She was depending on that. She kicked and punched with all the strength she had left. Even she could tell it was pathetic. Then she dangled the bait. As if exhausted, she left the entire front of her body unguarded, the perfect target for a kick. Sento took the bait, and with negligent ease, he threw a simple front kick to her unguarded center, slow and without his usual quick recoil. Agony exploded from the point of the kick through her whole body, making even her fingers and toes curl in pain, but she acted before he could pull his leg back. Desperate, she grabbed the scrapper¡¯s lower leg. With her last remaining strength, she brutally slammed her fist into the top of his foot, before collapsing to the ground in a boneless heap. Ow!¡± Sento yelped as he danced back and scowled down at her. End of the bout,¡± announced the screen. What kind of jerk move was that?¡± Sento demanded. The fighter tested his weight on the injured foot and winced. Kiriai, still struggling to breathe as she pushed herself up to a sitting position, looked up at her angry sparring partner. She couldn¡¯t keep the smile off her face. She had done it! That is the jerk move that won me your sponsor token,¡± she said in triumph. What?¡± He demanded, his face twisted with surprise and anger. Her smile faded and uncertainty returned. ¡°But I landed a blow to a critical target?¡± Ugh. She gritted her teeth at how tentative her voice sounded. She had outsmarted Sento and won the bout. Why can¡¯t I stand up for myself? Sento¡¯s roar of laughter made her feel even worse. You think hitting me in the foot counts as a critical target?¡± He barely got the words out between his laughter and had to lean forward to catch his breath. ¡°You can¡¯t win a bout by hitting someone in the foot. Besides,¡± he said, recovering and taking on a more serious tone, ¡°someone who lost his token from a punch to the foot would be a laughingstock.¡± Then, as if visualizing the very event, his expression turned cold as he met her eyes again. ¡°And I will not be a laughingstock.¡± But our ¡¯rangement¨D¡± Said a critical target or the head, not the foot.¡± Sento interrupted, his voice cold and intimidating. But the foot significantly affects your ability to fight,¡± Kiriai tried one more time as she struggled and failed to get up. It was impossible to argue her point from such a weak position on the floor. Sento stepped closer and towered over her. The look on his face made the rest of her words dry up in her mouth and she sat back. That cold anger aimed in her direction made it impossible to speak. You. Lost. The. Bout.¡± He enunciated every word, and Kiriai knew it was over. She sagged and dropped her head into her hands. Having made his point, Sento turned to gather his things on the other side of the dojo. Chapter 03 Cant Quit B is for Blast. The Blast destroyed the ancient world and almost everyone in it.¡± Chikara City Elementary Primer
What in the name of the ancestors is going on here?¡± roared a familiar, commanding voice. It was her grandfather. Kiriai wanted to disappear into the floor. She didn¡¯t know if she could take any more right now. Sento responded before she could. ¡°Your granddaughter invited me to spar in your dojo to train for my upcoming dispute fight. We just finished. I¡¯m leaving.¡± His tone was arrogant and he¡¯d straightened to his full height to look down on Ojisan. Kiriai could tell Ojisan took offense at the young fighter¡¯s tone, but as usual, he kept strict control of his emotions and merely gave the scrapper a nod as he gathered his things and stepped out through the sliding door. The bang of the door closing sealed her fate. It was her turn. Ojisan turned his steely gaze toward where she sat on in the middle of the dojo floor, feeling bruised and battered. There wasn¡¯t an ounce of compassion in his expression, only irritation and disappointment. She hadn¡¯t expected him to run over and help, but was it too much to ask for a moment to recover? She was obviously in a lot of pain. No. Ojisan had always demanded perfection¡ªor at least the pursuit of perfection. Anything less was unacceptable. Kiriai took a few deep breaths, smothered a groan and then forced herself to her feet to face her grandfather. She straightened her shoulders, clenched her fists and prepared for a battle. The back door slid open with a bang and both of them turned. Happy Birthday, Kiriai!¡± There, like a rescuing angel, stood her best friend Eigo. He had a huge grin on his face, a package in one hand and the other thrown out in an extravagant gesture. Kiriai sagged in relief. Eigo moved across the room with a complete disregard for the standoff with her grandfather. He towered over the older man, but was so skinny he looked like his bones would snap in a strong wind. His shock of pale blond hair made him stand out in a crowd. She often felt the need to feed him, fatten him up from the skinny, practically albino boy who¡¯d been a target of bullies since they were both young. That¡¯s how their friendship had first formed. She¡¯d protected him, and he¡¯d helped her with her studies. Eigo moved with the energy and determination of someone who was always in the middle of an important project that had to be finished right at that moment. Any room he entered brightened a few shades, and that was what Kiriai needed most right now. Best of all, he paid no attention to her grandfather¡¯s authority and disapproval. Even more astonishing to Kiriai was Ojisan¡¯s acceptance of Eigo¡¯s behavior. He had always treated him like a favored pet for whom allowances had to be made. Though Kiriai was occasionally jealous, it was impossible to hold anything against Eigo for very long. Ojisan turned to Eigo with the disapproval Kiriai had just been thinking about. Eigo,¡± said her grandfather, ¡°I am having a private conversation with Kiriai at the moment. Would you please return later?¡± As usual, Eigo ignored what he didn¡¯t want to hear with an aplomb that made Kiriai envious. Ojisan, sir,¡± he said with deference in his tone, indicating Kiriai¡¯s condition with one hand. ¡°It looks like she needs some help before she can talk. I can help her and send her to you as soon as she¡¯s recovered.¡± Eigo then bowed his head in a gesture that looked more comical than formal. ¡°If I may?¡± Kiriai watched in amazement as the corner of her grandfather¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, indicating that amusement was replacing his earlier anger. The old man unbent enough to give a slight bow in Eigo¡¯s direction while completely ignoring Kiriai. ¡°That would be acceptable if my granddaughter wasn¡¯t out of time. She is disrespecting her ancestral gifts by wasting her time with these childish fighting pursuits.¡± His dismissive wave encompassed the whole dojo and seemed to discard everything Kiriai held dear with one gesture. It was just too much. Why couldn¡¯t he recognize how important fighting was to her¡ªacknowledge her sacrifice if she gave it up to follow his path? Maybe then she could submit. She¡¯d be unhappy, but able to submit. Now? She couldn¡¯t. She just couldn¡¯t. ¡°Fighting is not a childish pursuit. It is the basis for everything of value in our world,¡± she said, meeting her grandfather¡¯s eyes and refusing to back down. ¡°And not only have I wanted to be a fighter since I was a child, but I am good at it, really good. Why can¡¯t you accept that?¡± She was almost yelling. And Ojisan? Her grandfather was unmoved. ¡°You were born with talents you can¡¯t even understand and you want to throw them all away to pursue the worthless glory of the ring. I¡¯ve never been more disappointed in you than I am at this moment,¡± he said in an icy voice that betrayed no emotion whatsoever. Perhaps there is a possible compromise?¡± A steady voice from the hallway to the rest of the house made Kiriai start. Isha, Ojisan¡¯s apprentice was standing in the doorway, calm and unruffled. It took Ojisan a moment to tear his focus from his granddaughter to turn and look at his apprentice. His steely gaze seemed to have little effect on the woman as she stood calmly awaiting an answer. Even her hand holding a jar of herbs was rock steady. When neither combatant spoke, she continued. ¡°You have taught me that there can be a middle road found between two opposing paths, one that gathers the best from both paths,¡± she said simply. Kiriai took a closer look at the woman who had taken an interest in her over the years she¡¯d been working as her grandfather¡¯s apprentice. Isha would have been described as an average middle-aged woman by anyone seeing her for the first time. Her hair was a nondescript brown. She was of medium height and her eyes and skin were of unremarkable colors. What had drawn Kiriai to her from the start, however, was her demeanor. Somehow, she projected a calm competence, no matter the situation. Isha was someone who could be relied upon in any crisis, and that couldn¡¯t be any more true than in this moment. As Kiriai and her grandfather headed toward a permanent estrangement, Isha had calmly intervened to try to prevent a disaster.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Ojisan seemed to consider Isha¡¯s words before shaking his head and turning back to Kiriai. The authoritative stoniness had returned to his face. ¡°In this situation, there is no compromise. Kiriai, you can never become a fighter. That is final!¡± Kiriai felt like she was balanced on a precipice, numb. One step either way would result in drastic differences in her future. Each pulled her, and she knew that either choice would leave her torn into pieces. The dojo was a frozen tableau, its thin walls caging another intense battle, but this time, one of wills instead of fists and feet. Her grandfather faced her, a frigid statue expecting her capitulation. Eigo watched, his expression worried. Isha stood, waiting to see what Kiriai would choose. And then the anger came in a relentless rush, flooding through her body and mind, washing all the pain and indecision away with its intensity. It was time. Kiriai no longer cared about the consequences. This is my life,¡± she declared. ¡°You can no longer tell me what to do. I have decided to become a fighter.¡± She paused, knowing there wasn¡¯t any coming back from this. ¡°And that is final!¡± Silence. That was all the response he gave her. Still shaking from the overwhelming surge of rebellion, Kiriai wondered how she could have expected anything different. And then, without another word, her grandfather turned on his heel and left the dojo, moving past Isha and sliding the door shut with a soft thump in his wake. Kiriai let out the breath she¡¯d been holding. Her shoulders slumped and as the tension left her, she realized it was the only thing that had been holding her up. Her knees buckled, but before she could hit the ground, Eigo lunged forward to catch her. In typical Eigo fashion, the rescue turned into a tangled plummet to the ground where his chest broke her fall with a muffled, ¡°Oomph!¡± The two of them lay there in a jumble for a few silent seconds, Eigo because he couldn¡¯t breathe and Kiriai because she was drained and exhausted. Then she felt all the stress and emotion spiral into hysterical laughter at how amusing her current situation was. It took only a moment for Eigo to join her. They sat side-by-side on the floor, laughing hard enough to cry. Even Isha began chuckling, which inspired another round of hilarity. Isha moved to the storage shelves and busied herself with the herbs stored there. Finally, both exhausted, but with smiles on their faces, the two friends flopped back and stilled, though the occasional chuckle escaped. Peace settled into the dojo. All that could be heard was the sound of Isha moving the occasional pot or bundle of rustling herbs. A few muted street noises made their way through the dojo walls. Well, I don¡¯t think it solved anything, but you needed a good laugh,¡± said Eigo. Yes, thank you. I really did,¡± Kiriai said seriously, turning her head to look at Eigo¡¯s grinning face on the floor next to her. You know I¡¯m always good for a laugh anytime you need one.¡± So, you came over to do something fun for my birthday and instead had to cheer me up with a bout of laughter after a fight with Ojisan?¡± she asked, when he didn¡¯t say anything further. Oh,¡± he said, sitting up and reaching for something on the ground next to him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I forgot your present. That¡¯s the whole reason I came over.¡± He presented her with a small package wrapped in brown paper and tied intricately with a piece of twine so that the top knot looked like a flower. Surprised, she reached for the gift. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to get me anything for my birthday,¡± she objected. ¡°I¡¯m just glad to have you as a friend. You don¡¯t need to spend your few credits on something for me.¡± The grimace on his face made her wish she could take back her words. She mentally kicked herself. She knew better than anyone how sometimes pride was all you had when credits were scarce. And if her friend had sacrificed valuable credits for a gift to her, who was she to discount it? I didn¡¯t pay for it. It¡¯s something I found in the wastelands on our last scrounge,¡± he said, his voice wooden and missing the excitement of moments before. Eigo, I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡± she said, trying to find the words to undo the hurt. She tried again. ¡°You know I¡¯d love anything you got for me and¡±¡ªshe paused and tried for humor¡ª¡°I¡¯ll wait to get it appraised by the pawn man until after you leave.¡± His eyes jerked up, ready for anything, but when he saw her smile, he returned the grin. ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re considerate enough to wait until I leave.¡± Smiling now, he tucked his legs underneath him and held out the package again. Taking it, Kiriai felt the shape of a small box under the paper and intricate knot. She let go of all the drama of the day and enjoyed the simple pleasure of receiving a gift from a friend. Regardless of what was in the package, she was grateful for this. After a few moments of picking at knots with fumbling fingers, she had the box free. Even Isha stopped working to come over, sit with them and join the simple celebration. Kiriai started to open the lid and then pushed it back down. Aw, come on, Kiriai,¡± Eigo complained. ¡°Just open it!¡± If she could have, Kiriai would have frozen that moment and just lived there for the next few days, weeks or months. But she did as asked, and opened the gift. Hmm. The unknown had been better than the reality. Trying to keep a grimace off her face, she removed a damaged yet intricate hunk of plastic and metal that Eigo had drilled a small hole in and threaded a chain through. Um,¡± she started to say, while holding it up with a forced smile on her face. ¡°Eigo, thank you so much for this ¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t continue and let a snort of laughter out, ¡°¡­ for this hunk of plastic you¡¯ve so nicely put on a chain so I can keep it next to my heart forever.¡± She got the last mocking sentence out before laughing again. Eigo, what is it?¡± she asked finally, while he just looked chagrined, waiting for her to stop laughing so he could explain. Well, that¡¯s why I came to get you. I can¡¯t actually show you until you come to my workshop, but,¡± he said, holding up a hand to stop her questions, ¡°in short, it is an old fighting game, a relic I got to work on one of my cobbled together screens. And since fighting is all you ever talk about anymore, I thought it was a game we could play together.¡± He gave a sheepish shrug. ¡°Since I¡¯m not ever going to be able to actually spar with you, I thought this would be the next best thing.¡± Now a real smile spread across Kiriai¡¯s face. This was a gift from a true friend. Even though Eigo didn¡¯t like seeing how much she got hurt in her training and didn¡¯t share her interest, he knew how much it meant to her. So he had found a gift that allowed them to share the interest together. And while she usually just tolerated Eigo¡¯s games, she¡¯d be happy to give this one a try. Her grandfather should take lessons from the boy! However, the ultimatum she¡¯d just delivered to her grandfather was forefront in her mind right now. With a sinking feeling, she came to an unwanted conclusion¡ªthere was really only one way out of her predicament. She had to get the sponsor token from Sento and she had to do it today. Chapter 04 Confrontation Where are we going?¡± Eigo asked, panting as he tried to keep up with her pace, even though his longer legs allowed him to take one step for every two of hers. Kiriai was weaving through the late-morning market crowd with subconscious skill, her sandals deft on the uneven cobblestones of their neighborhood¡¯s busiest section. Her mind was busy running through which strategies she¡¯d use when she got to the hood¡¯s headquarters. A spitting grill giving off a delicious smell pulled her attention to a small sidewalk vendor. Her breakfast of rice with a hefty serving of vegetables was ages ago and she kicked herself for not grabbing something to eat on her way out. She didn¡¯t have extra credits for something in the market. Come on, Kiriai,¡± Eigo said. ¡°You said we could try the new game I got you. We''re headed to hood headquarters, not my workshop.¡± She kept moving, sidestepping a small delivery cart on its programmed route before it ran into her. Sento would probably ignore her or order her to leave if she tried approaching him on his own. How could she make him honor the terms of their agreement? It¡¯s your birthday.¡± Eigo tried again. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you have enough bruises for one day?¡± When she didn¡¯t reply, he grabbed her sleeve and dug in his heels. Surprised, Kiriai stopped. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t pull off my armband,¡± she said as she looked down at the green and white patterns of her Jitaku identification bunched up in his fist. He let go immediately and a flush crept up his neck. Sorry, Eigo,¡± she said, feeling bad. ¡°I''m trying to figure out my future. I don¡¯t have time to play games.¡± You''re planning to get that sponsor token from Sento, aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked, disappointment on his face. Of course I am. What other choice do I have?¡± You have lots of choices. What you do for work doesn¡¯t determine how you spend your free time.¡± Her expression must have been unyielding because he resorted to pleading. ¡°I realize you love to fight, but you don¡¯t have to make it your whole life. Helping your grandfather with his fixing and healing would give you plenty of free time and no extra injuries to get in the way of having fun.¡± He added a joking tone to the last few words and Kiriai gave him a half smile in response. Eigo, you know me better than anyone else. You recognize how much this means. Today is my birthday and I have one last chance to do this.¡± Now she was the one to let a tone of pleading enter her voice. ¡°If I don¡¯t try everything I can think of, I¡¯ll regret it for the rest of my life.¡± She saw him falter. He understood how much this meant to her and it wasn¡¯t in his nature to ask her to go against her dreams. She gave him a concession. ¡°All I have is today. Help me today and, if I can¡¯t get this to work, tomorrow I¡¯ll beg Ojisan¡¯s forgiveness and accept his choice for me.¡± The sudden vision of what that meant for her future made her sick to her stomach. What if she failed? Eigo gave an abrupt nod and relaxed into his usual easy-going demeanor. ¡°Then let¡¯s go do our best to beat that sponsor token out of Sento. I¡¯ll cheer you on,¡± he said and then grinned as he added, ¡°from a safe distance.¡± At least she had that. No matter what happened, Eigo would always be in her corner. *** The two friends stood in front of the imposing dojo attached to the side of the hood headquarters building. Kiriai guessed her home dojo would fit many times over in the large structure. The outer walls were weathered, the bamboo of repaired sections paler than the older neighbors. Multi-layered roofs swooped down from small to large, lending a beauty to their utility in weathering the storms that crashed through the area. Bright red support posts and trim of the roof added a splash of color, setting it apart from its drab neighbors. It made the towering headquarters next to it look like a large and brooding sibling watching over an excited child. People pushed past the pair, busy with their own business. Fighters with their bright implants, ¡¯forcers with purpose in their steps and ¡¯zens in all shapes and sizes coming and going with hood business. Kiriai knew she should turn around and choose the calm and ordered life Ojisan had planned for her. Despite his support, she figured Eigo also hoped for the same. Now all Kiriai had was the fragile outline of a plan she''d developed on the walk here, with no assurance it would work. Through a window, she saw Sento shove another scrapper with a laugh. He was in the middle of a group of fighters in various stages of warming up and stretching before class started. The group had an easy camaraderie that was enviable. From across the dojo floor, Kiriai saw another man approaching the training floor. His black gi was worn to a faded gray and a brown belt with ragged edges held it closed. Thin silver hair dusted his temples with wisps dotting his bald dome. He wasn¡¯t much bigger than she was and though age had blunted his movement, he still crossed the floor with the grace of a predator. Every eye turned in his direction and Kiriai decided if she didn¡¯t move this instant, she would lose her chance. Once the workout had started, the doors would be barred. Before she had a chance to overthink it, she pushed through the doors, slipped her shoes off and stepped onto the edge of the dojo floor. She did this all, while maintaining a cocky fighter¡¯s swagger and a confident grin on her face. Sento, there you are!¡± she said, projecting her voice over the chatter of the fighters between them. The young man¡¯s head turned at his name, but his expression did not look pleased when he saw who it was. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. She spoke before he could get a word out. ¡°Is this a good time to take care of the sponsor token business?¡± That got attention. Conversations trailed off. Now, other fighters were giving her considering looks, evaluating her. The older man ignored her and turned to Sento. Junior Scrapper Sento, are you sponsoring this fighter? Why haven¡¯t you registered the sponsorship before having her presented?¡± Before Sento could express the vehement denial she saw on his expression, Kiriai risked rudeness and spoke one more time. Sensei,¡± she said, bowing her head when the older man turned her way, ¡°Sento-san honored me with the chance to win the token from him by showing fighting proficiency in a bout just this morning. He knew I needed to declare my path today as it is my sixteenth birthday. I hope this is not too inconvenient.¡± Kiriai let out an internal sigh of relief that she¡¯d gotten through her whole speech with the polite language preferred by her grandfather. Now, she had to hope it worked. But that¡¯s crazy!¡± yelled Sento, his outrage making his skin flush red. The irritation Kiriai saw flicker in the teacher¡¯s eye almost made her smile. She was just able to keep a solemn expression on her face. So, you did not give this student a chance to win your sponsor token in a fight this morning?¡± asked the sensei in a deep, powerful voice laced with warning. Sento must have been familiar with the teacher and hastened to moderate his tone. ¡°I apologize, Bushi-sensei. My student is eager but unprepared for initiation. I will ensure that she leaves so we may begin class.¡± Kiriai¡¯s heart sank. Was he going to dismiss her? That was not my question, Sento,¡± said the sensei, who then waited, silent, while the young man sputtered, obviously wanting to protest. The teacher didn¡¯t relent, maintaining eye contact with the fighter as he waited for an answer. Yes, I gave her a chance to win my token¨Dbut she failed, Sensei!¡± Kiriai had to exert all her control to keep from protesting against Sento¡¯s angry outburst. From the other students¡¯ reactions, she sensed that would be the wrong approach for this teacher. She bit her tongue and stayed silent. Bushi-sensei turned back to her, and she waited for him to address her. He gave her a slight nod before speaking. ¡°Is this true? Did you fail, young student?¡± No, Sensei. I have no idea why Sento would say that when I fulfilled the victory conditions we agreed upon before the bout began.¡± From behind the sensei, Kiriai heard Sento making a strangled sound in protest, but he was too smart to interrupt the teacher again. Explain the conditions,¡± said the sensei, no expression on his lined face to give Kiriai a clue about his disposition on the subject. Quick to grasp the chance, Kiriai tried to keep the explanation short and succinct. She wanted to avoid trying the sensei¡¯s patience. ¡°We agreed that if I scored a blow to a critical target during a four-minute bout, I would have demonstrated enough skill to earn the token. We agreed that a critical target was a body part that, if injured, would significantly decrease the fighter¡¯s ability to continue to fight, or a blow to any portion of the head. Sento¡¯s superior skill won most the bout, and I didn''t score a blow until the final seconds, when I hit a critical target and won the token.¡± The sensei just nodded, silent, and turned back to Sento. Is this true?¡± No, Sensei. She did not win the token.¡± She did not hit a critical target?¡± No, Sensei,¡± said Sento, except this time his tone wasn¡¯t as confident. Kiriai couldn¡¯t believe the straight-faced lie and struggled to keep quiet. She was somewhat confident the sensei would give her one more chance to speak, especially if she remained calm. Bushi-sensei also seemed to have noticed something about Sento¡¯s last answer and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I will ask you one last time, did this student land a blow, any blow, during your bout?¡± It wasn¡¯t a critical one,¡± said Sento, all semblance of confidence now gone. The answer did not please the teacher, and Kiriai thanked the instincts that had urged her to keep quiet so she was not the focus of his displeasure. In a slow and measured tone, Bushi-sensei said, ¡°Any attempt to deceive is a lie, scrapper. No more trickery. You will explain the blow landed at the end of this bout, so the rest of us can get back to work and stop wasting our time. We are fighters, not ¡¯rangers!¡± It was amazing how the teacher could somehow yell without raising his voice at all. Cowed, Sento told the truth. ¡°In the last seconds of the bout, my student Kiriai hit me on the top of the foot with a strong blow.¡± There was silence for two seconds as the audience, now enthralled with the unfolding drama, digested the words. Snickers came from the back. ¡°The foot?!¡± came an incredulous whisper. Kiriai felt the embarrassment almost as acutely as Sento probably did. She hadn¡¯t wanted notoriety as the student who won her place with a blow to the foot. Then again, she thought, standing up straight and keeping her head high, a win is a win. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been limping today?¡± asked the sensei after aiming a glare at the rest of the crowd to quiet the onlookers. Yes,¡± admitted Sento, reluctance radiating off of him. ¡°But it is a minor injury,¡± he said, still trying to argue his position. Silence!¡± interrupted the sensei. ¡°You are limping. It was a blow to a critical target,¡± said the teacher with a cold finality. ¡°Please present your student to the registrar for initiation.¡± Then he paused and gave both Sento and Kiriai a shallow nod of acknowledgment. ¡°Congratulations to both teacher and student for your service to our hood. Dismissed.¡± With that, he turned, walked to the front of the training floor and rapped a small bronze gong with a padded stick. The rich sound echoed through the space and the fighters exploded into action, straightening gis, finding their places, and then coming to a strict attention stance, awaiting the orders from their teacher. In the chaos, Sento grabbed her upper arm in a punishing grip and practically dragged her off the training floor and toward the hallway leading to headquarters. Chapter 05 No Turning Back ¡°Our venerable founders were among the first to recognize the true dangers of the plagues and the blasts that followed. We are alive today because of their quick reactions and forethought in saving our ancestors and leading them to safety.¡± ¡ª A True Account of The Founding Families History by Hamilton Gerrard III, Chikara City Head Archivist.
In the airy hallway and out of the sensei¡¯s view, Kiriai jerked her arm out of Sento¡¯s grasp, taking a step back to put distance between the two of them. ¡°I can walk by myself,¡± she said in a tight voice through clenched teeth. ¡°Just show me the way, and I¡¯ll follow you.¡± Sento met her eyes and seemed to be having as much difficulty as she was regaining control. She waited, not willing to get into another fight, especially anywhere that the sensei could hear it. After a moment, Sento looked like he had come to some conclusion. ¡°I am so angry right now, I could give you the pounding you deserve for pulling a stunt like that, but,¡± he said, holding up a hand before she could respond, ¡°part of me can¡¯t believe you pulled it off.¡± Now a wry grin had softened his features. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s the kind of thing I would have done to get my implant if I had thought of it. Sure you humiliated me, and yourself, but you want to be a scrapper and are willing to do anything, anything at all, to get what you want.¡± He shook his head, like he couldn¡¯t believe what he was doing. With a grin, he held out his hand. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be much of a scrapper if I didn¡¯t congratulate you on winning your fight against all odds.¡±Stolen story; please report. Astonished at the abrupt turn-around, Kiriai froze for a moment before lifting her hand to shake Sento¡¯s. Since she had assumed her actions earned her a bitter enemy, Kiriai felt a rush of relief at the second chance being offered her. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t give you the pounding you deserve if you do something like that again,¡± he said, his face quickly becoming serious once more. ¡°Just make sure that what you get for it is worth the beating I¡¯ll give you.¡± ¡°Like a fighter implant,¡± she asked, before she could think better of it. That startled a laugh out of the taller fighter. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯d take a beating any day for my implant.¡± Then, seeming to hear what he¡¯d said, he gave her a sardonic smile. ¡°In fact, I usually do.¡± ¡°Sento, I owe this all to you,¡± she said, trying to explain, ¡°I didn¡¯t want the whole foot thing to get so out of control like it did¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he interrupted her. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize for doing whatever it took to become a fighter. And we can take care of the whole ¡®foot¡¯ thing easily. By the time I spin it, everyone will be wishing they could teach their students to be as sneaky as mine.¡± At her surprised look, he continued. ¡°What? Did you think battles are all about honor and skill?¡± He laughed when she still didn¡¯t appear to understand. He clapped a hand to her shoulder and said, ¡°Kid, between the tactics of the ¡¯rangers and the hood ¡¯forcers, we¡¯re lucky we even get to use our fighting skills at all. Being cunning can give you more victories than your abilities. Why do you think I¡¯m talking to you now instead of yelling?¡± A sick feeling started in the pit of Kiriai¡¯s stomach. If she hadn¡¯t before, she now knew she was entering a world she knew very little about. Some of what she was thinking must have shown on her face because Sento nodded grimly. ¡°Yes, this is a very cutthroat world and I¡¯m offering an alliance. I saw some talent in you or I wouldn¡¯t have wanted to use you to train. And now, you¡¯ve not only demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice whatever it takes to get what you want, but also the craftiness to actually do it. I can use you and your skills as an ally. What do you say? Allies?¡± He held his hand out one more time. . . . The complete Combat Origin has moved to Amazon now Hi Royal Road Readers, Thanks for reading Combat Origin, my first in my World of Combat series. I know you have a lot of choices and sitting here alone at my computer, I''m totally thrilled that you''re enjoying my writing. :) All but the first 10% has now moved to Amazon where it is$0.99 or Freeto read in Kindle Unlimited. If you enjoyed the story and feel like leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads or Bookbub, I''d really appreciate it. Interested in reading about Kiriai and Ojisan''s backstory? Check out the free prequel at: MistyZaugg.com/welcome I will keep the first few chapters of each book up after they are published on Amazon. Every new book will be released here first with all the chapters before publications. Follow me to be notified when I start a new one. Combat Shift, Book 5, will be here on Royal Road in early 2020.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. I appreciate all the feedback, reviews and comment - I hope it helps me become a better writer. -- Misty :)
Links for anyone interested: On Amazon and Free in Kindle Unlimited: - Combat Mind - Book 2 - Combat Outbreak - Book 3 - Combat Impulse - Book 4 - Combat Shift - Book 5 - currently writing and will be published on Royal Road before Amazon.
Review links: 1. For Royal Road: Scroll down on the Main Fiction Page and fill out the review box under the list of chapters (don''t forget to click the box next to "Advanced Review" to give more starsif you''d like to be more specific) 2.Links for Amazon, Bookbub and/or Goodreads: Review Combat Origin on Amazon Review Combat Origin on GoodReads Review Combat Origin on Bookbub Thank so much for reading - let me know what you''d like to see next! -- Misty :) Combat Mind: Book 2 Chp 1 ¡°We just tried to save everyone we could after the blasts, regardless of exposure. How all this radiation will affect us and our future is anyone¡¯s guess.¡± ¡ª Latoya Shelton, Kansas City, MO. FEMA Emergency Management Specialist. Oath Keepers Archive of Truth, Volume 3
I can become whomever you like. Choose whichever traits fit your personal preference. No matter how often it happened, it was still disconcerting to hear Yabban¡¯s voice in her head. Give me a minute to think, Kiriai responded mentally and leaned back against the park bench. The cool morning breeze in the small clearing was refreshing. She was completely alone other than faint voices that drifted now and then through the greenery. You can choose personality traits at a later date if you prefer. No, Yabban. Kiriai pulled her focus back. She had to leave for the dojo soon, but had been putting this off for too long. Can I change my mind if I don¡¯t like the traits I choose for you? No. Once you choose, the development of my personality will follow those choices, making them permanent for this version of your trainer. I can always be reset to default settings through the main game menu, with a loss of all information gained. No. Kiriai objected. That was the last thing she wanted. The ancient gaming AI had been an unwelcome intrusion less than two weeks ago. But without its help, Kiriai would have never won the fight that earned her the final spot on the junior scrapper team. Run through my choices again, Yabban. The personality upgrade allows you to select my gender, my age and two traits. You can add more personality traits with future upgrades. And you¡¯ll act like a real person? Kiriai wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about that, but hoped it would turn out well. She¡¯d spent the attribute point from Yabban¡¯s training game to upgrade its personality instead of its autonomy. The chance to make the voice in her head a little more human had been too tempting to pass up. The personality upgrade is designed to improve my ability to interact in a way more similar to other biological beings. Sounds good. Let me think. Acknowledged. Kiriai ran through her choices. Gender. She pursed her lips and thought about all the men and boys in her life; the majority of the scrappers, her best friend Eigo and even her grandfather Ojisan. Please make yourself female and my age. No, make yourself two years older than me. Sure, Kiriai would like the gaming AI to become more of a friend, but Yabban also helped train her fighting abilities. A teacher should be older than the student. Acknowledged. Here are a few samples that fit your choice. Is one of these suitable? Kiriai no longer jumped when Yabban generated visions only she could see, but it still amazed her. She took a quick glance around the clearing to make sure she was still alone. Standing in front of her, oblivious to the scattered debris and leaves at their feet, were four young women dressed in traditional gis and sporting the professional brown belt worn by teaching senseis. They all looked very different, skin tones and hair color ranging from light to almost black, heights shorter and taller than Kiriai herself, and all with an eerie blank expression on their faces. If this was Yabban¡¯s attempt to act like a ¡®biological being¡¯ then it wasn¡¯t doing a great job. ¡°She¡±, Kiriai corrected herself. Yabban was now ¡°she.¡± Do any of us appeal to you? This time Kiriai was startled. All four women had turned to her and spoken in unison. Too bad only she could see this. Eigo loved this kind of stuff. We can change all aspects of our appearance. If you would choose which of us most appeals to you, then you can change specific traits until they suit you. The second girl on the left had the friendliest look on her face and the lean build of someone who used speed and strategy to win. You. Kiriai pointed. The three other women disappeared. Would you like to adjust any of my physical appearances? For a moment, Kiriai was at a loss for words. The dispassionate voice in her head, her gaming AI trainer, had transformed into a young woman standing in front of her. And its voice, her voice, was a sprightly sound filled with youth and hope. Sure, she wasn¡¯t real and only Kiriai could see her, but it was still a profound shift. Yabban looked real to Kiriai and was now talking to her. Something didn¡¯t feel right about making all the choices anymore. Are there any physical appearances you would like to adjust? It¡¯s your body, after all. You choose.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Silence. Kiriai had expected Yabban to quickly cycle to an appearance she wanted or at least a default one if she didn¡¯t have the programming to make that kind of choice yet. Yabban finally spoke. I am programmed to make changes that appeal to you. I have no preferences. Kiriai snorted. Yabban was so nitpicky and bossy when teaching fighting moves, but couldn¡¯t pick a hair color? Well, having you choose is what appeals to me. If you have to, feel free to choose randomly. I¡¯m out of time. My teammates are waiting at the dojo for me. Whatever passed for thought inside Yabban must have happened. Kiriai watched in fascination as the girl¡¯s hair lightened and lengthened before being pulled back into a ponytail. Her skin also paled as her face morphed into strong features with a half smile. By the time she finished changing, she was slightly taller than Kiriai and looked to outweigh her by a few pounds. If she were real, Kiriai would have had second thoughts about facing her in an arena. These are the appearances I have chosen. Are they satisfactory? Perfect. Kiriai agreed. Now I have to get to the dojo. You need to choose two beginning personality traits. Surprise me. Kiriai answered as she stood up and turned to leave the small clearing. Any personality at all would be better than the rigid mechanical AI she¡¯d been dealing with until now. Acknowledged. The edge of Kiriai¡¯s sandal caught on a loose rock. She reached out and grabbed the back of the bench to catch her balance, wincing as she felt the edge of a splinter jab at her palm. In that moment, the breeze carried a piece of a distant conversation and she heard it clearly. ¡°. . .dead. Once he¡¯s dead, everything will be better.¡± Kiriai froze. Dead? Who was going to die? Who was nearby and talking about it? Dozens of questions ran through her mind before she stopped and forced out a quiet breath. It wasn¡¯t any of her business. The last thing she needed was to draw the attention of two people talking about killing someone. Or at least someone dying, she amended. Maybe one of them had a sick father on his deathbed and was looking forward to the coming inheritance. The next words ruined that idea. She tipped her head to hear the indistinct voices better. ¡°I thought it would take a year to get close enough. Now, it looks like I might get a chance to kill him sooner.¡± Kiriai tried to notice any distinguishing features between the voices. But they were whispering, and though she thought both sounded male, she couldn¡¯t even be sure of that. The reference to murder made everything worse. How could she ignore it now? But if she tried to see who was speaking, they might discover her. Kiriai had been sitting quietly during her internal conversation with Yabban, otherwise the plotters might have discovered her earlier. If she tried to push bushes or branches aside now, to catch a glimpse, they would definitely notice her. Besides, she would only be an official scrapper if she won next week¡¯s battle, so this wasn¡¯t her problem. Kiriai didn¡¯t move and hoped whoever it was would just leave so she could pretend it never happened. ¡°And the boss¡¯s entourage? Do you have a plan for them?¡± ¡°If my idea is good, most of them won¡¯t be an issue.¡± The boss?! Kiriai clenched her fists, feeling sick. This she couldn¡¯t ignore. If they were discussing an assassination attempt on the leader of her entire hood, she couldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing. She had to get a look at them. With the utmost care, Kiriai slowly lifted one foot, moved it forward and then placed it on the ground. She tried to choose a spot with no twigs or leaves that might snap. Her skin felt clammy. A cold sweat broke out on her forehead and the back of her neck, making the skin around her fighter¡¯s implant itch. She shouldn¡¯t be doing this, but how could she not? Kiriai closed in on the hedge where the whispers came from. ¡°What is this new plan?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the details yet, Sensei.¡± Sensei? Kiriai hesitated, one hand on the prickly leaves. These two were obviously dangerous, and in the early morning, the park was mostly deserted. What if they saw her? Blast! What if they came after her? Besides, even if she saw them, she probably wouldn¡¯t recognize them or have any tangible proof to show the authorities. She couldn¡¯t be sure they were even talking about the hood boss. Kiriai hated feeling so conflicted. This was a mess she didn¡¯t need right now. The most important fight of her life was next week. If her team didn¡¯t win, she¡¯d have to go back to being her grandfather¡¯s apprentice taking care of sick patients and mixing herbs for the rest of her life. Plus, her teammates, Sento and Tsuyoi, wouldn¡¯t want her dragged into anything that risked their victory either. ¡°You will update me as soon as you can.¡± ¡°Yes, Sensei.¡± ¡°And do absolutely nothing to jeopardize your position in the hood! I will not lose our best asset chasing after a crazy scheme. Understand?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Kiriai couldn¡¯t help it. She had to look. It was the right thing to do. Hands trembling, she pushed her arms into the hedge and pulled as slowly as possible, focused on making no sound. A small oblong opened up and she could see into another clearing similar to the one she was in, except bigger. Two benches faced each other across a decorative stone circle laid in the ground. All the tension left Kiriai in a rush and she didn¡¯t know if she felt more disappointment or relief. The benches were empty. No one was in the clearing. They had left. What was wrong with her? If she hadn¡¯t spent so long trying to decide what to do, she might know who the speakers were. I sense you are feeling guilt. If this is correct, would you like to discuss it? The voice in her head was so out of character that Kiriai couldn¡¯t process the question. Yabban? What? Did I misidentify the emotion you are feeling, Trainee Kiriai? If it is not guilt, could you please tell me the correct emotion? I will then be willing to discuss it with you if you¡¯d like. Kiriai felt dread at the suspicion forming in her mind. Yabban, what personality traits did you pick for yourself? Empathy and humor, Kiriai. Did I surprise you as requested? Kiriai covered her face with both hands and let out a low groan. Surprised didn¡¯t begin to describe how she felt right now. Combat Mind: Book 2 Chp 2 Someday ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° What do you call an angry pea? What kind of question is that, Yabban? It is a joke. Answer the question. What? Grum-pea. Grum-pea, like grumpy. Like Sento is being grumpy right now. Did you understand the joke? Was it humorous? Please let me know how I can improve. Yes, Yabban. It was funny. But please try not to surprise me like that in the middle of a strategy session. The others won¡¯t understand why I am laughing. You would like to remove your earlier instruction to surprise you? Yes. Please do not surprise me anymore. Acknowledged. Combat Mind: Book 2 Chp 3
Hey, Trainee Kiriai. Your observation skill just improved. You have made 10% progress to level 2. Thanks, Yabban. It would be helpful if you didn¡¯t interrupt me when I¡¯m right in the middle of training. It¡¯s distracting. Whoops. Sorry about that. I¡¯ll try to notify you of your progress at more convenient moments. When would that be? Can you postpone all notifications until after the battle? I¡¯m sorry. As your trainer, I can¡¯t help you improve without informing you of your progress on a regular basis. But I¡¯m not planning on learning anything new before then. I need to improve what I already know. And I will give you feedback on your progress. Fine. What is the minimum amount of feedback you can give me? I can update you once a day on your progress and stick to full level achievements outside of that. That will be fine. Thank you, Yabban. You¡¯re welcome. I appreciate any feedback so I can improve my personality to your liking. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Combat Mind: Book 2 Chp 4 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°youwe ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Combat Mind: Book 2 Chp 5 ¡°I¡¯ve always known food was the basis of survival and wealth. It was even more evident in the rioting following the blasts. Instead of ransacking the local food component dispensaries, my family and I waylaid the supply transports¡ªeasy to disable with the right tools, big hauls and no people to fight. It wasn¡¯t as if the government was going to take care of us.¡± ¡ª Journal of Yolanda Cortez, CPLC Advocate, Phoenix, AZ. Oath Keepers Archive of Truth, Volume 4
A visit to the dojo fixer had helped with most of Kiriai¡¯s soreness. Her belly was full of amazing food from the unlimited spread offered daily at the scrappers¡¯ cafeteria. And she was part of a three-person team with a real chance to win the upcoming battle and cement her place as a hood scrapper. Then why am I so stressed? she wondered as she avoided a puddle on the floor of the dank tunnel, deserted except for the occasional red eyes of the local rodents. She¡¯d been this way so many times, it felt as familiar to her as the home she shared with Ojisan and Isha. Kiriai made the obligatory check in all directions for observers. Eigo would kill her if she didn¡¯t. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she slipped behind two panels propped up to be indistinguishable from their neighbors. She was through the door to Eigo¡¯s workshop moments later, and she sighed, disappointed to see it was empty. She knew Eigo had scrounger duties to attend to, but she wanted to talk to him. He always helped her figure things out. There was a guy who got his entire left side cut off. What? The last thing Kiriai needed was an AI in her head that had actually gone crazy. Don¡¯t worry, he is all right now. A long moment passed as the punch line penetrated. Kiriai struggled between a groan and a laugh and finally settled on a smile. I sense that you found the joke funny? Am I correct? Yes, Kiriai admitted, then decided she had to give Yabban her due. And you also chose a good moment to tell the joke. I wasn¡¯t in the middle of anything important. Thank you. That pleases me. Yabban¡¯s cheery reply was endearing. Maybe the personality upgrade would be a good thing. I am available to discuss any topic that is bothering you, Kiriai. I may not have enough data to help you with answers yet, but I will improve with practice. Kiriai could handle a few clumsy jokes, but it would take a much bigger change before she would feel comfortable discussing anything significant with the virtual sensei in her head. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t help you yet. May I practice identifying your emotions? What do you mean? Kiriai was cautious giving Yabban any unchecked permissions. I would like to identify what you are feeling and check with you to see if I am correct. How often? Occasionally. Define occasionally. Kiriai had quickly learned to define terms when dealing with Yabban. Would one to four times per day be appropriate? And I would make sure to ask my questions during pauses in activity so as not to interrupt important events. Kiriai gave the terms some thought, but couldn¡¯t find anything wrong with them. Agreed. Are you feeling upset? Kiriai snorted. Yabban wasn¡¯t wasting any time. I would call it worried, not really upset. Explain, please? I have a lot of different problems right now and no good solutions to them. Can I help you with any of them? Kiriai kicked herself. She¡¯d been so focused on using Eigo as a sounding board for everything that Yabban¡¯s abilities had slipped her mind. Yabban might not be helpful with getting a Rinjin armband or uncovering a possible assassination plot. But she was the best source to help with the battle. Yes, Yabban. I need your help with my upcoming battle. The junior scrapper fight nine days from now? Yes. Kiriai shouldn¡¯t be startled at the information Yabban could pull out of her head, but it was still disconcerting. What kind of help would you like? Do you have any moves or fighting principles that would help me win? You need to be a little more specific. Well, ones I can learn before the battle? The most effective tactic would be to duplicate the upcoming battle as closely as possible. Then you would fight that battle as many times as possible, with multiple strategies, in the trance state. A ray of hope poked through all the other problems swirling through Kiriai¡¯s mind. Finally! A simple and direct solution. Let¡¯s do it then. I probably have enough time to practice a few bouts before Eigo gets here. I do not have enough parameters to duplicate the upcoming battle. Kiriai groaned and plopped back onto a sagging sofa that was far more comfortable than it looked. Of course Yabban didn¡¯t have enough parameters. Nothing in her life could be that easy. What parameters do you need to duplicate the battle? Kiriai asked and held her breath, afraid of the answer. I would need footage of the opponents¡¯ fighting. Footage? You mean like on a screen? Yes, or you could watch them in person, the longer, the better. Four minutes of footage is the minimum time required to generate an approximation of the moves they will use in a fight.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. With a sinking feeling, Kiriai knew she had another impossible task to add to her list. Kiriai¡¯d never seen junior scrappers from other hoods on her screen, and she¡¯d been watching screen fights her whole life. They were only streamed locally, in their own hoods. That meant she would have to watch them fight in person. She groaned in realization. Ugh! Shaking her head, she realized her first impossible task had just become more important. It was vital she joined Sento and Tsuyoi on their scouting mission. There is one more requirement, Kiriai. Yabban¡¯s voice was hesitant, and she didn¡¯t continue. Just tell me. Your Observation skill must be level 3 to unlock the training aid Replay Training. This is the training aid that is used to simulate the upcoming battle using recorded footage. Kiriai laughed, but it wasn¡¯t a pleasant laugh. Are you happy, Kiriai? No, Yabban. Definitely not happy. That is unfortunate. How may I help? Give me someone to hit, Yabban. That¡¯s about all I can do right now. Can you do that? Of course Kiriai. Please make yourself comfortable and I will initiate the trance training state. Also, I would like to give you your daily training summary if now is a good time? Sure. In a single move, Kiriai had turned and sprawled back along the length of the old couch and settled into its comfortable slouches. She closed her eyes as the familiar list scrolled through her vision: Character Name: Kiriai Level: Error. Inaccessible. XP: Error. Inaccessible. Character Traits: Error. Inaccessible. Training Statistics: Beginning Moves: Unlocked: all. Learned: all. Novice Moves: You have unlocked 12 of 16 Novice Strikes. You have learned 12/16. Fighting Skills: Will Power Level 1 (25% progress to Level 2) Resilience Level 3 (5% progress to Level 4) Observation Level 1 (10% progress to Level 2) Injury Healing Level 1 (65% progress to Level 2) Evasion Level 2 (10% progress to Level 3) Fighting Principles: Unlocked: Marriage of Gravity Learned: Marriage of Gravity Fighting Sequences: You have learned 3 of 5 Level 1 fighting sequences Training Aids activated: Demonstration, Overlay Training, Corrective Stimulation, Surround Mirror Training, Opponent Training, Realistic Demonstration. Kiriai had a hard time remembering all the things Yabban kept such meticulous track of. Yabban? Yes? It would be better for me if you could just tell me what has changed when you update me. Sure. I can do that. Your Observation Level 1 recently increased to 10% and your Injury Healing Level 1 has improved from 55% to 65%. You also unlocked the final four Novice Strikes. Would you like me to list them? No. Kiriai hurried to stop Yabban, who could drone on with exact descriptions of each type of punch. I¡¯m ready for trance state now. The usual disconcerting flash of sensation pushed through Kiriai from top to bottom and an instant later, she was standing in the majestic dojo that was hers and hers alone. Sweeping beams of burnished wood crisscrossed high above her head and floor-to-ceiling windows on the far wall let in the late afternoon sun to warm the intricate patterns of the bamboo flooring. Vivid calligraphy, paintings and even the occasional vase on a pedestal were tastefully placed around the interior in a manner Kiriai could only guess the cost of had it all been real. This was a dojo even one of the city families would have been proud to train in. The weight of the day¡¯s events finally fell away and Kiriai felt a real smile form. At least this place was hers and she could do whatever she wanted here. ¡°What type and number of opponents would you like to fight? Maybe I could join you?¡± Well, hers and Yabban¡¯s, she amended, turning toward the voice. Bemused, she watched the new Yabban saunter across the dojo floor in her direction, a happy grin on the girl¡¯s face. She had pulled her blond hair back in a tight bun today and moved with a threatening grace that belied the girlish expression on her face. Kiriai wished she could portray that kind of ability just by the way she walked. Her bad mood vanquished for the moment, Kiriai made the responsible choice. ¡°Yabban, let¡¯s work on my Observation Skill instead. I don¡¯t know how much time I have before Eigo comes back. Please wake me from the trance state when he does.¡± ¡°Acknowledged. Please have a seat.¡± A seat? Two rattan chairs appeared at the edge of the training area. Willing but unsure, Kiriai followed Yabban, sat next to her and waited to see what would happen next. An instant later, a man and a woman in fighting gear appeared in the middle of the dojo floor and after a short bow, started a fight so furious it looked like they were trying to kill each other. ¡°Wait!¡± Kiriai stood, unsettled by the sudden violence. Even more startling, the two fighters froze mid-movement like a screen that had failed. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Yabban asked, her tone puzzled. ¡°What exactly is happening here?¡± ¡°I am generating fights for you to analyze so you can increase your observation skill. Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kiriai sat back down. ¡°I¡¯m still getting used to how real you can make things here.¡± ¡°But they are real.¡± ¡°No, I mean that this isn¡¯t happening in real life, just in my head.¡± ¡°But all of life happens in your head. Isn¡¯t it all real?¡± Kiriai groaned. ¡°Frustrated, right? That is your current emotion? But I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m frustrated and I think you¡¯ve used up your questions about my emotions for the day. Can we move on?¡± ¡°Certainly. Please try to identify the attacking and defensive moves the fighters are using. I will notify you for every 10% of progress you make toward Observation Level 2.¡± A dull thud, a grunt and other sounds of combat pulled Kiriai¡¯s attention back to the fight. ¡°Inward block. Reverse punch. Forward bow ¡­¡± Kiriai narrowed her focus and worked to name every move she could identify in the fast-moving fight. ¡°20%.¡± Kiriai barely heard Yabban¡¯s feedback as her attention sank into the fight playing out in front of her. What had started as a confusing mix of fast-moving limbs and clashing bodies had sorted itself out into distinct sequences of attack and defense, a ballet of movement. Kiriai had begun this exercise resigned to fulfilling another of Yabban¡¯s rigid requirements, but she was seeing the potential of developing this skill. ¡°30%.¡± The passing time had ceased to matter, and there were occasional moments that Kiriai could almost anticipate the next move thrown by each fighter. ¡°40%.¡± The fight had been going on forever, but Yabban¡¯s abilities allowed Kiriai to watch unlimited fighting moves at an intensity that would have made real fighters collapse ages ago. Kiriai had been observing so long, she felt like she knew the two fighters and their styles intimately. This must be what Sento was trying to achieve with the notes he kept in his secret book. ¡°50%.¡± With an abruptness that was startling, the fighters vanished. Kiriai blinked her eyes, trying to bring the scene back into focus, but the fighters didn¡¯t reappear. She took a few long moments to reorient her mind and turn to Yabban. ¡°What happened? Where did they go?¡± ¡°You have reached the maximum progress for this skill in trance training. You must observe fighters out in the game world to continue to improve.¡± ¡°What?! Why?¡± Kiriai was confused and a little angry at the interruption. ¡°This is way more efficient than watching fighters in the ¡®game world.¡¯ Real fighters can¡¯t keep fighting this long. It¡¯ll take forever to finish this level that way.¡± ¡°Player interaction is essential for optimum game play. If a player spends too much time alone in the trance state, they do not have the best game experience possible. Oh, Eigo¡¯s here.¡± That was all the warning Kiriai had before the surrounding dojo melted into a confusing swirl of images and everything went black. Combat Mind: Book 2 Chp 6 Her head had exploded. Or at least that¡¯s what it felt like. Kiriai lay frozen on the lumpy couch, hoping that if she didn¡¯t move a muscle, the headache would ebb. ¡°Been in a trance state again, have you?¡± The soft whisper made Kiriai grateful. Eigo knew how sensitive she was to noise and movement after one of these sessions. She kept somehow forgetting the horrible aftermath of a trance training session. There had to be a better way. I am sorry, Kiriai. Trance training is not supposed to cause this kind of pain. A small amount of disorientation isn¡¯t unexpected, but nothing this painful. I will report the problem to the main game AI as soon as I correct my connection error. Thank you, Yabban. The training AI wouldn¡¯t be able to do that anytime soon, but at least Kiriai could be polite. She felt gentle hands helping her sit up and cracked her eyes to see Eigo¡¯s concerned face. He pressed a warm mug into her hands. The tea steamed with a pleasant mint aroma but had the bitter hints of something medicinal. At the moment, she would have swallowed road tar if it would ease her headache. Slowly, so as not to jar her head, Kiriai tipped back and gulped down the contents of the mug as quickly as possible without a breath. Sure enough, the bitter aftertaste burned at the back of her throat despite how much honey Eigo had added. Even her slight shudder intensified the throbbing in her skull. ¡°We need to figure out what¡¯s wrong with this trance training, or you can¡¯t use it anymore,¡± Eigo said, his voice still a soft whisper as he sat next to her, making the old couch sag even more. ¡°You¡¯re telling me. And thanks for the tea. What was in it?¡± ¡°Isha stocked me with some when I said you¡¯d been having recurring headaches. She knew you wouldn¡¯t remember to take it, but I would,¡± he said with an unrepentant shrug. ¡°And I have ideas for the next trance training.¡± ¡°Ugh. Not going to think about that right now.¡± ¡°What were you doing in there, anyway? I thought you planned to train with Sento and Tsuyoi at the dojo for the battle.¡± ¡°Give me a minute for the tea to kick in and I¡¯ll fill you in on everything.¡± Eigo turned to her with a quizzical look. ¡°Everything? I saw you yesterday. How much could have happened since then?¡± Her headache subsided to a dull throbbing as she ordered her thoughts for a moment before speaking. It took longer than she expected to fill Eigo in. He asked way too many questions as usual. ¡°So Yabban is a gorgeous woman now? You can see her and talk to her?¡± Trust Eigo to focus on the AI¡¯s transformation. He was always fascinated by the AI¡¯s abilities and new talents.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°You¡¯re just like Sento. How is it that both of you can ignore the assassination plot I overheard? And how am I going to get a Rinjin armband?¡± Eigo¡¯s joking expression had hardened in an instant. ¡°I am not and never will be like Sento.¡± ¡°Whoa, don¡¯t go crazy,¡± she said, leaning back and holding up both hands. ¡°I meant nothing by it. And besides, he isn¡¯t all bad. You know how much he¡¯s helped me. He is the only scrapper I can trust.¡± Instead of responding with his usual easy manner, Eigo just shook his head. ¡°Kiriai, you have got to stop trusting everyone. Sure, Sento can be trusted to help you, as long as it helps him. Sento puts one and only one person first: himself.¡± Kiriai started shaking her head halfway through Eigo¡¯s rant against her scrapper friend. ¡°He¡¯s a good fighter and a good person, at least to me. Why do you hate him so much?¡± Eigo didn¡¯t answer. He stared at her and something he saw in her face affected him. He stood, took a few steps away from the couch before spinning back around and staring at her, his expression impossible to read. This wasn¡¯t like him at all. ¡°Do you like him? As a boy, I mean? Is that what this is? Please tell me this isn¡¯t that!¡± Now it was Kiriai¡¯s turn to feel uncomfortable. She dropped her gaze, scrambling for a way to deflect her friend¡¯s attention, but it was too late. ¡°You do! Kiriai! You can¡¯t. What are you thinking? You know how old he is, how self-centered he is. Did he tell you what part of the hood he comes from? Who his family is?¡± Eigo¡¯s tall, lanky frame was practically dancing with distress. Kiriai couldn¡¯t get a word in and didn¡¯t bother trying. ¡°And your grandfather? Oh ancestors, what is he going to say?¡± Eigo stopped and ran both hands through his pale hair, finally having run out of words. ¡°He won¡¯t say anything, because there isn¡¯t anything going on between Sento and me,¡± Kiriai said, but she could hear the doubt in her own tone. ¡°He doesn¡¯t see me like that, anyway.¡± Eigo¡¯s bluster seemed to drain out of him and he looked down at her. ¡°And you want him to?¡± She gave a weak shrug. ¡°I told you he¡¯s an idiot,¡± he said, and then waited until she would look at him. ¡°Kiriai, you can do significantly better than him. He doesn¡¯t deserve you.¡± ¡°Can you drop it? If I say anything to him, I could ruin everything, all our training and even the battle itself. And if I don¡¯t, I¡¯m just a coward. So there isn¡¯t anything to discuss. Let¡¯s pretend this never happened and move on.¡± Eigo laughed and shook his head, back to his cheerful self. ¡°Have you seen yourself fight, girl? The last thing you are is a coward. It won¡¯t be long before everyone in the hood, even small children and pets, will run away screaming at the sight of the fearsome Scrapper Kiriai.¡± Eigo was depicting the scene in an exaggerated pantomime until Kiriai had to laugh and let go of the tension that had built up. Eigo plopped down on the carpet in front of Kiriai, crossed his legs and held up a hand to tick off points. ¡°So let me see if I have this straight. Two phantoms may be plotting to kill the boss, but there¡¯s nothing you can do about it.¡± Eigo tapped one finger before raising a second. ¡°Yabban is a hot babe who gives you horrible headaches while trying to help you train and is insisting that you watch tons of fights including ones of your future opponents before she will make fake fighting ghosts for you to practice on.¡± With a flourish, Eigo held up a third finger. ¡°And everything hinges on me helping you get a Rinjin armband so Sento will let you go on the top secret scouting mission with him to Rinjin Hood. Did I get it all?¡± Kiriai just nodded, waiting to see where he was going with it all. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing there¡¯s an extra spot on my family¡¯s scrounger mission into the Wastelands tomorrow, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kiriai just stared at him, speechless. Combat Outbreak: Book 3 Chp 1
I love fighting, remember? This is my dream life. No laughing until the fixer¡¯s wand has had a chance to do its work, Would now be a good time for an update? Would you like a joke instead? Sure, Yabban. And I promise I¡¯ll find time to work on unlocking the rest of those novice moves you¡¯ve been bugging me about. Me? Bugging you? What do you call a bug that gobbles up trash? Um, every bug? Nope. A litter bug.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Don¡¯t forget the real reason to unlock the rest of your novice moves. Oh, I haven¡¯t. I can use the attribute point I earn to upgrade your autonomy feature. That¡¯s just what I want, a trainer in my head who can think and speak for herself whenever she wants. I¡¯m glad you think so. That was sarcasm, Yabban. Add that to your emotion database. So you don¡¯t want me to think and speak for myself? I do, Yabban. I¡¯m just in a foul mood right now. Forgive me. How rude! Combat Outbreak: Book 3 Chp 2 Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. should What is he talking about? Nothing Combat Outbreak: Book 3 Chp 3
Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Combat Outbreak: Book 3 Chp 4 Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Kiriai-chan, my love. Thank you, ancestors, Mama, Papa. Combat Outbreak: Book 3 Chp 5
that is Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Hey. I get some credit for helping you level up your Observation skill. Wait until you see what level 4 does for you. Yes, Yabban. How could I forget your help? And what exactly will level 4 give me? I can¡¯t tell you. It¡¯s a surprise. Combat Impulse: Book 4 Chp 1 ¡° ¡ª ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°chance If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° What does the boss want this time? And at this hour? I¡¯m in a dress. Combat Impulse: Book 4 Chp 2 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Combat Impulse: Book 4 Chp 3 ¡° ¡ª
You cannot avoid decisions in life. If you do not make them, they are made for you. Yabban? Yes, Kiriai. What was that? About decisions? Did you like it? Did the words help you with your predicament? Yabban, did you spend that attribute point? Yes. Don¡¯t you recall giving me permission when you finished advancing your final novice moves from unlocked to learned? You said you were grateful. Just tell me which personality attribute you chose. Wise sayings. Wisdom is a valuable attribute for young players advancing into adulthood. Don¡¯t you think? Also, studying concepts that history has marked as wise should increase my ability to act more human. It is too late to change now. I have already assigned the attribute point. Don¡¯t worry, Yabban. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get used to it, just like your jokes. What did the plate say to the other plate? Hey, I said I¡¯d get used to it. Dinner is on me. It appears that you appreciate my humor attribute more than my wise sayings. I will attempt to find more appropriate and enjoyable sayings. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Combat Impulse: Book 4 Chp 4 ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° What? ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° No. Not now. ¡° Well, he practically came back from the dead. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Combat Impulse: Book 4 Chp 5 ¡° ¡ª ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Slow! ¡° Slow! Finally!Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Please be Sento! Please be Sento! ¡° ¡° ¡° I¡¯m sorry. ¡° Ancestors. Please, if there is any way, have Bushi-sensei read Sento¡¯s name. Please. ¡° ¡° Thank you, Ancestors! ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°¡ª ¡° ¡° Audrey Hepburn said, ¡°The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.¡± I¡¯m not in the mood, Yabban, And who is Audrey Hepburn, anyway? She was a British actor often considered an icon in movies with a famous sense of fashion. I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t heard of her. What? I didn¡¯t understand half of that. What¡¯s an actor? An icon? Never mind! I¡¯ll take your word for it. Besides, I agree with her. Sento is the best thing for me to hold onto in my life. The problem is, he doesn¡¯t want to hold onto me at the moment. I apologize. This is still a new skill for me. With your feedback, I should improve. I will search for a more applicable saying. No need, Yabban. I know exactly who I need to talk to. He may not have wise sayings, but he always has funny ones. Combat Shift: Book 5 Chp 1 ¡°R is for Radiation. Radiation from the Blast makes the world outside our city unlivable.¡± ¡ª Chikara City Elementary Primer
¡°This is it,¡± said Eigo in a voice just a little too loud and excited. The lanky figure of Kiriai¡¯s best friend practically bounced next to her in the crowd instead of walking. He had none of the decorum one would expect from a member of a brawler crew. ¡°Oomf.¡± Eigo¡¯s soft grunt of pain made Kiriai turn, and she smiled when she saw him aim a glare at Shisen and Mikata, who walked beside him. Both pretended neither of them had just elbowed him. The knot of tension inside Kiriai relaxed at the antics of her friends. Brawler Initiation started today, and she couldn¡¯t decide if it was nerves or excitement that had her insides jumping. Probably a bit of both. ¡°Crew for Brawler Dento Kiriai,¡± Aibo said up ahead, to a clerk who had waved her over. Aibo, their crew aide, handled all the tedious minutiae for their crew, which Kiriai especially appreciated during events like this. The officious clerk wore a Southern Burb armband and seemed tired of her job even though it was barely mid-morning. The rest of their group stopped while Aibo presented their papers. Kiriai wanted to just ignore the formalities and hurry through the huge doorway she could see at the end of the hall. Instead, she let her eyes roam over the ornate calligraphy scrolls on the walls and the rugs under their feet that probably cost more than the entire home she shared with her grandfather back in Jitaku Hood. Kiriai forced herself to breathe and relax as the clerk checked each of them off a list. ¡°You¡¯re missing your trainer,¡± the clerk finally said as her eyes moved between their group and the paper in front of her. Kiriai stiffened. She had decided to talk to the rest of her crew about this tonight, after putting off the subject multiple times. She¡¯d seen questions in Mikata¡¯s eyes, but everyone had given her space and not broached the topic of her crew trainer. Well, to be honest, Kiriai had kept delaying, hoping for an answer, still conflicted about who she really wanted. No, after their trip here and their first day in Southern Core, she still didn¡¯t have an answer. Before Kiriai could stop her, the clerk went on. ¡°Trainer Mosa Sento? Will he be joining you?¡± she asked. Disapproval filled her tone as she continued. ¡°The doors close after the last person here enters. We allow no late arrivals.¡± Eigo¡¯s head snapped around at Sento¡¯s name, his expression a mix of shock and outrage. Behind him, Aibo gave her a helpless shrug. She¡¯d kept Kiriai¡¯s secret, but neither of them had expected the clerk¡¯s involvement. Eigo pulled her to the side, into a small nook created by a display table, and she let him. This was her own fault. She was the one who had put off this discussion until it was too late. ¡°You chose Sento as your trainer?¡± Eigo hissed, keeping his voice below the sound of the crowded hallway. ¡°After everything he put you through?¡± ¡°None of that has anything to do with his fighting and strategy talent,¡± she said, hating how defensive she sounded. This was her decision, not Eigo¡¯s. ¡°Besides, at the end of the brawler tournament, he stepped in to protect me from the chief. It¡¯s not as black-and-white as you¡¯re making it seem.¡± Eigo stared at her, speechless for a moment. An expression of dawning realization spread across his face. Kiriai swallowed, wanting more than anything to not do this right here, right now. ¡°You¡¯re actually considering getting back together with him? Not just taking him on as trainer?¡± ¡°No!¡± She shook her head, one hand raised in protest. ¡°Being willing to learn from him and salvage a friendship isn¡¯t the same as getting involved again. In any case, he hasn¡¯t taken me up on the trainer position, if you haven¡¯t noticed.¡± She waved back at their group and the missing Sento. Eigo relaxed a fraction and let out a harsh breath. He looked around and seemed to suddenly notice the awkwardness of the whole situation. ¡°Our trainer is indisposed at the moment, but I wanted to thank you for being so attentive to the details of our paperwork, M¡¯ Clerk.¡± Tomi¡¯s voice boomed ahead of them with its usual cheerfulness, drawing the gazes of those nearby. Their crew ¡®ranger tended to do that. ¡°None of this would be possible without the hard work of people like you. We should all acknowledge the clerks and all they do more often.¡± Tomi folded his considerable bulk into a bow to the surprised woman, whose frown disappeared. She smiled and preened at his attention. Without another objection, she waved them on, and they rejoined the throng heading toward the towering entrance at the end of the hall. They had slid the doors wide open to accommodate everyone. While there were only eight new brawlers this year, together with their crews and a smattering of household members, they made an impressive number. Passing through the doorway, Kiriai stifled a gasp as she saw how vast the training space was. She should have known it would be impressive based on the opulence of the entryway, but she¡¯d never imagined anyone spending so many credits furnishing a practice area. ¡°Keep walking, little one. Can¡¯t have you looking too new to all this,¡± a cheerful voice prodded her, quiet and near her ear so only she would hear it. Startled, Kiriai looked at ¡¯Ranger Tomi with a grateful glance before picking up her pace. Despite his mop of red hair and easy smile, Tomi¡¯s prodigious bulk ensured that no one got too close or jostled their group. As the crowd filtered into the large space, clerks directed the traffic, giving Kiriai the chance to take everything in. Her head swiveled from one sight to another, some of them making her drool. Against one wall stood practice dummies in pristine condition, padded and wooden, lined up like a small, frozen army, affixed to their heavy bases and awaiting orders. A far corner had walls covered with mirrors, an expensive but invaluable tool when training to hone skills. And the equipment . . . Kiriai couldn¡¯t identify half of it. They had filled shelves and tubs with weights, balls, padded bats and everything Kiriai could imagine being used in practice. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the most sensible thing I¡¯ve seen yet,¡± Isha said under her breath as she tipped her head. Kiriai glanced to the left where her crew fixer was looking and saw a row of alcoves with padded tables and shelves filled with an orderly assortment of fixer equipment and treatments. She smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure as soon as I get started, you¡¯ll get to use all kinds of the new fixer gear to patch me up.¡± Isha let a quiet sigh escape, and Kiriai felt a twinge of guilt. Isha had treated her after some hefty damage and didn¡¯t consider the topic a joking matter. Her tone was more clinical as she continued. ¡°Having treatment alcoves right here, in addition to the rooms in the fixer hall, saves having to transport the injured.¡± She aimed a frown at Kiriai. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure it bodes well for you. How hard is this brawler initiation going to be?¡± Kiriai swallowed and didn¡¯t answer. Her tingling nerves slipped a bit from excited toward worried. She didn¡¯t know any details and despite asking around, the initiation seemed to be a well-kept secret. No one who¡¯d endured it was willing to share. Even Boss Akuto, who¡¯d opened up more and more lately, had just shaken his head and changed the subject. Isha must have sensed her worry, because she reached out and gave Kiriai¡¯s hand a squeeze. ¡°We¡¯re all here to help you through this, Kiriai-chan. Besides, I promised your grandfather I¡¯d take care of you until he can come join us after graduation. And everyone knows it¡¯s a bad idea to break a promise to Fixer Ojisan.¡± Kiriai gave Isha a small smile and squeezed her hand back, thinking of her own promises to her grandfather. Protect the secret of the gifted and help get reinforcements for Jitaku, but above all, make sure she and her crew stayed safe. ¡°Brawlers on the mat. Crew and household members, please find a seat,¡± said a short clerk, her sharp orders interrupting Kiriai¡¯s thoughts. The man waved an impatient hand, directing Kiriai toward the center of the vaulted training space while motioning with his other hand for her crew to move to the seating area. Kiriai turned to follow his directions, but paused, surprised by the sudden desire to cling to her friends. ¡°Try not to hurt the other brawlers, dear,¡± said Mikata in a droll tone. Kiriai¡¯s training partner startled a chuckle out of Kiriai and her heart lightened as Mikata waggled her fingers before turning and following the rest of her crew toward the seating area. Feeling more upbeat, Kiriai followed the clerk¡¯s directions.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. As she emerged out of the throng, her eyes widened and her step stumbled for a beat. With all the people, she hadn¡¯t been able to see the welcome awaiting the new brawlers until now. Arrayed in a line at the front of the central space stood a line of senseis, men and women, experienced fighters, all wearing the brown belt instructor rank and staring straight ahead, still as statues. It was intimidating and made Kiriai want to run to her position and snap to attention. She settled for a quick walk and stopped on the spot pointed out by another clerk. She couldn¡¯t help reaching up to feel the familiar shape of her medallions under her shirt. Eigo had given her one, a duplicate of the virtual symbol only she and Yabban could see. And Boss Akuto had given her the other, a token that let her request help with his backing. Steadied, Kiriai found her place and with the ease of long familiarity, snapped to attention, her feet together, back straight, eyes forward and face expressionless. In her peripheral vision, she saw the rest of her new class find their places and follow her example. To either side came soft, murmuring voices from their crews and household members as they took their seats. This is happening. Kiriai felt a wave of disbelief and awe at the notion. She was living one of her childhood dreams and only a year after first making scrapper. That made her younger than everyone here, something she usually didn¡¯t pay attention to. Right on the heels of that thought, though, came another that punctured her excitement. Her hood was losing the war, and if she and her crew couldn¡¯t find a way to send reinforcements, she might not have a home to return to. ¡°Welcome to this year¡¯s brawler initiation! I am Sensei Hisho.¡± The booming voice came from a lean, middle-aged woman who stepped forward from the center of the line of senseis. All eyes snapped to her, and every voice fell silent. The other senseis kept their eyes on the new brawlers, except for a woman on the far right. Her demeanor caught Kiriai¡¯s attention, and she wondered why a sensei so obviously bored with the proceedings was even there. ¡°This is the first day of your new lives,¡± said Sensei Hisho, and Kiriai focused back on the leader. ¡°You are like children, leaving your homes behind and starting adulthood. You are no longer scrappers from different hoods. You fought long and hard your whole lives for this opportunity. This initiation will rip away your past and rebuild you as part of a group of elite fighters, one only a select few ever join . . . the Southern Burb Brawlers!¡± A resounding cheer met her short speech and Kiriai felt the thrill sweep away some of her reluctance. Before the sensei¡¯s words faded, a loud bellow came from both sides of the large hall. ¡°Oda!¡± yelled a whole cadre of voices in unison. The brawler next to Kiriai flinched. Only long practice kept Kiriai¡¯s gaze forward and body still as the noise of what sounded like hundreds of bare feet pounded in their direction. Then she saw them. Brawlers jogged forward in lines, steps in sync and faces impassive. They wore identical black uniforms, blue belts around their waists and Southern Burb patches on their chests. But their clothing wasn¡¯t the only similarity. It was their movement, light and quick with a smooth economy, that suggested they could break out into violence at any moment. They filed into neat rows in the large space behind the senseis and snapped into ready stances with uncanny precision. Not only that, she saw familiar faces she had only seen on the screen before, brawlers she¡¯d admired as they fought in burb battles. Was that Brawler Haran? He¡¯d been a finalist in last year¡¯s City Warrior Tournament. Kiriai¡¯s heartbeat quickened, and she worked to steady her breathing. These were her heroes, and she was joining them. These men and women radiated power on a level she hadn¡¯t seen before. A stab of doubt hit her. Was she good enough to do this? ¡°Chief Kosui has given you an honor that not all of you merit,¡± said Sensei Hisho once the ranks of brawlers behind her had stilled. It was as if she¡¯d been reading Kiriai¡¯s thoughts. ¡°During the next month, you will prove to us and to them¡±¡ªshe paused to indicate the brawlers behind her¡ª¡°that you deserve to join them. If you show yourself worthy, at the end of your initiation month, you will celebrate your graduation with your first official fight as a Southern Burb Brawler. However, we know this life is not for everyone and there is no shame in choosing something different.¡± Kiriai stifled a scoff of disagreement as the sensei reached into her gi top and pulled out an armband and held it up like a limp snake. Squinting, Kiriai recognized the pattern as Chief Kosui¡¯s with an additional embellishment she didn¡¯t recognize running along the bottom. ¡°Chief Kosui is always looking for new talent in the ranks of his ¡¯forcers, and as the top fighters from your hoods, he offers you a top rank should you decide the brawler life isn¡¯t for you. The pay is excellent, and from what I hear, while the training is intense, injuries are mild and rarely happen.¡± Kiriai didn¡¯t know why the sensei was waxing on about ¡¯forcers. Her attention wandered to the rows of brawlers still standing motionless behind the senseis. These would be her new colleagues, opponents when chosen for the disputes of the rich and powerful, but team members in battles against enemy burbs. Like the territory tournament fought by brawlers from different burbs, with ownership of an entire hood as the prize. Kiriai shuddered. That was exactly what everyone back home fought to avoid. With a handful of scrapper reinforcements, they could hold on to a majority of their home property and keep Western Hood from initiating a territory tournament. Her anger flared at the stupid politics and power plays that were leaving her home in danger of being taken. ¡°It is your choice and yours alone.¡± What? Kiriai berated herself for letting her attention wander. What choice? She couldn¡¯t raise her hand and ask for the sensei to repeat herself. Definitely not the way to make a good first impression. Yabban? There was a hesitation before her AI answered. I am not an in-game personal assistant, Kiriai. That is something you unlock and pay for in an entirely different game path. But you know what she just said? Of course. Kiriai thought for a moment. She needed to frame the request in Yabban¡¯s training language. A sudden idea made her smile. When I leveled up your autonomy, you could offer unsolicited strategy advice, right? Correct. Could you advise me about the upcoming training, my choices and which you think would be the most beneficial to my martial art skills? Kiriai felt a pulse of amusement along her mental link to the ancient gaming AI. Sometimes she still felt a flash of surprise at how normal the trainer¡¯s presence in her mind felt now. Yabban¡¯s accidental addition to her fighting implant so long ago had turned into the best thing to happen to her fighting career. As your martial arts trainer, I would recommend not quitting the brawlers during initiation by walking up to that stand, taking the armband and choosing to join Chief Kosui¡¯s ¡¯forcers instead. What? Kiriai glanced at the ornate wooden stand two assistants had just set down in front of the sensei. With a flourish, the imposing woman connected the armband to a gold clip at the top and let go. It fluttered down, hanging there, taunting. Behind the row of senseis, the ranks of brawlers stared on, impassive. They must have all refused the same offer during their own brawler initiations. Sensei Hisho turned and spoke, her voice almost friendly as she addressed the spectators to either side. ¡°Crew and household members, you will be sorted and shown to orientations discussing your roles, and responsibilities and resources available. You will attend classes and at times participate with your initiate¡¯s training during the next month.¡± Then she turned back to the short row of initiates. Her expression hardened. ¡°Initiates, we will give you your gear and an orientation of our facilities. Afterward, I suggest you make an early night of it. Tomorrow we will find out what you are truly made of.¡± Complete silence greeted her pronouncement. Kiriai knew there was no way she would ever quit and take a ¡¯forcer position. Now she just had to prove it for the next month of training. ¡°Dismissed!¡± The room erupted into sound and movement as everyone relaxed, and officials began calling and sorting various crew members. Kiriai went up on her tiptoes to try to see her people. Tomi was the only one she could easily pick out. When he saw her, he gave her an encouraging wave before turning back to the official addressing his group. ¡°Initiates! Follow me, please.¡± An impatient man holding a clipboard barked the command and, without waiting for a response, spun on his heel and began marching toward a smaller exit door on the other end of the hall from where her crew had been sitting. Kiriai hesitated before hurrying to fall into line. What exactly will tomorrow be like? she wondered, trying to quash her growing feelings of trepidation. Will you remember me tomorrow? Yabban suddenly asked in her mind. Kiriai cocked her head to the side as the crowd parted to let their group pass. What kind of question is that? Of course I will. Knock, knock? Kiriai felt a half-smile emerge as she followed the other initiates and left her crew behind. At least she had Yabban with her to face whatever torments they had in store for her. Who¡¯s there? She humored her AI trainer¡¯s penchant for telling jokes. See? You already forgot me! Kiriai snickered. The burly man in front of her looked back at her, and she quickly schooled her expression. Tomorrow wouldn¡¯t be all bad with at least one friend along for the ride. Combat Shift: Book 5 Chp 2 ¡°Up! Up!¡± Adrenaline surged through Kiriai, and she leaped out of her cot. She almost stumbled, one foot getting tangled in the bedding as she fought to her feet, fists raised before she was fully awake. Chaos filled the spacious bunkhouse the new initiates had been assigned for the month. Kiriai blinked, trying desperately to figure out what was happening. Her fellow initiates were scrambling everywhere, the white of their identical sleeping clothes a stark contrast to the black of the intruders. Without warning, something smacked the back of her head at the same instant her feet were swept out from under her. She barely managed to catch herself before her face hit the polished wooden floor of the barracks. ¡°Push-up positions! Now! Why can¡¯t you initiates follow simple commands?¡± Kiriai shook her head to clear away the last cobwebs of sleep from her mind and made a snap decision to fall into line until she knew more. She placed her hands shoulder-width apart, straightened her back and held her position. She scanned the chaos that had invaded their peaceful barracks so early that it was still dark out. Light from lanterns made shadows flicker across the figures in the room. Some, like her, were holding a push-up position. One initiate kept trying to get up and multiple attackers knocked him down with ease, as they continued yelling at him to comply. A woman wasn¡¯t getting out of bed fast enough and two men heaved the edge of the mattress, dumping her to the floor in a heap. It didn¡¯t take long before every initiate was holding a plank position. Invaders stalked around them in circles, using hands and feet to adjust small imperfections. It was obvious now that she was fully awake. These were senseis or other brawlers enlisted to help with the initiation. Kiriai felt small tremors in her arms, a mix of tension and the rush of adrenaline from the unexpected attack. To either side of her, she heard the other brawlers in similar states, some quiet, others breathing raggedly. Kiriai clenched her teeth before letting out a slow breath. After yesterday¡¯s introduction, she¡¯d suspected this would not be easy. And it was just getting started. ¡°At ease,¡± said a droll voice from the direction of the entrance to the bunkhouse. The invaders moved back and arrayed themselves into a straight line a few feet behind the line of shaky initiates. ¡°You too,¡± the woman said. No one moved. ¡°She means you, idiots. Stand up,¡± hissed someone from behind Kiriai, and she felt a foot smack into her lower leg. Without second-guessing herself, Kiriai jumped to her feet and stepped into a ready stance, hands held low with fists clenched loosely in front of her. Walking toward them was a woman who looked so unimpressive that it seemed far-fetched that the line of invaders would obey her with such alacrity. Something about her seemed familiar. Her sandy hair was tied up in a sloppy ponytail, the impatient kind used to keep hair back instead of for appearance¡¯s sake. She looked less than pleased to be here this early. Kiriai could empathize with that. Her plain black gi looked to be made of a superior fabric, but it was hard to tell for sure. It lacked any of the subtle embellishments that went along with expensive tailoring. She dragged the wooden stand from yesterday behind her with complete disregard. When she came to a stop, she tipped it to a standing position and let go, making the ¡¯forcer armband swing wildly for a moment. As Kiriai¡¯s gaze moved up to her face, she found startling blue eyes staring back at her, one eyebrow raised. Kiriai flushed at being caught. As she dropped her gaze, she saw the other initiates had quickly followed her lead and were also standing at the ready. With a start, Kiriai suddenly remembered where she¡¯d seen the woman before. She was the sensei from yesterday who¡¯d seemed so bored at the opening ceremony. ¡°I am Sensei Nigai. Not that it matters much to you. Your job is to hate me and especially my trainers. Their job is to pummel you into submission so you¡¯ll grab this armband here and join the ¡¯forcers. My trainers have instructions to pay special attention to those of you who¡¯ve managed to irritate powerful people.¡± The woman stopped and sighed with a tired expression. ¡°Pummeling newbies into submission doesn¡¯t require much talent, but like you, I have to obey those who have more power than I do, and this is what they want out of me. Your job is to do everything I want, and everything my trainers tell you, because we have more power than you.¡± Kiriai tried not to let her shock at Nigai¡¯s words show in her expression. The eight of them had fought the best fighters of all four hoods to make it this far. They were officially brawlers, for ancestors¡¯ sake. The initiation was supposed to hone their fighting skills and give them a chance to integrate with the other brawlers, not make them want to quit. First the push yesterday to join the Chief¡¯s ¡¯forcers, and now this sensei was blatantly mentioning prejudices and power plays? Either Kiriai didn¡¯t succeed in masking her reaction, or her fellow initiates felt the same, because Nigai started laughing. It was a chilling laugh, without hope, and it made Kiriai shiver. ¡°What?¡± said Nigai with a bark. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve made it this far without having the facts of life explained to you? Those with power get to do what they want to those with less. Ask anyone who¡¯s been around Chief Kosui during his recent rampage, if you don¡¯t believe me. Everyone with any sense is hunkering down and following orders.¡± The woman moved with a feline grace as she spoke, pacing back and forth in front of her captive audience. The glimpse of the warrior under the unassuming clothes was scary. She stopped and the glint in her eye made Kiriai hope someone else had attracted her attention.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Here, let me show you. Brawler Gebi, get up here,¡± Nigai said with a bark of command in her voice. A woman raced past them and snapped to attention three feet in front of Nigai. Brawler Gebi executed a perfect bow and straightened with a snap, ready for orders. Nigai looked back at the initiates. ¡°See? I have more power than Gebi here and she knows it. So she has to do whatever I want without complaint, just like I have to obey those above me. Consider this your first lesson. Welcome to the brawlers, kids.¡± Kiriai relaxed, thinking the show was over. But Nigai turned back to Gebi, expression hardening. ¡°Sit down, Gebi.¡± The woman dropped to the floor instantly, legs crossed and back straight. ¡°Stand up,¡± said Nigai, and Gebi obeyed just as quickly. Kiriai held herself still, uneasy about where this was headed. She heard someone shifting next to her and knew she wasn¡¯t the only one. ¡°Hands up, above your head,¡± said Nigai. Gebi¡¯s hands shot up without hesitation. ¡°Don¡¯t move, except to breathe.¡± And then with no warning the sensei punched Gebi directly in the stomach. Hard. A grunt escaped Gebi. Kiriai could see her torso flex and tighten, but the woman¡¯s stoic mask didn¡¯t budge. And to Kiriai¡¯s surprise, she kept both hands in position above her head. ¡°Aww, so well-trained, don¡¯t you think?¡± Nigai asked with a smile as she turned back to the initiates. ¡°Now, as the brawlers behind you will attest, while I¡¯m not the nicest person, I try to be fair.¡± Sensei Nigai turned back to Gebi. ¡°Fighting stance, Brawler Gebi.¡± In a flash, Gebi was in position and she suddenly looked dangerous. Nigai scanned the room with the row of beds along one wall and backed up with lazy movements to the large open space on the other side of the room. Then, she stopped, tipped her head side-to-side and let out a sigh. One foot stepped back into a shallow stance and Nigai waved a hand at Gebi. ¡°Come try to hit me back, Brawler Gebi. I¡¯ll give you a fair chance.¡± Kiriai saw Gebi¡¯s mask slip as a familiar eagerness filled her eyes. The other brawler wasn¡¯t much taller than Kiriai. Gebi probably outweighed her by half and moved with a fighter¡¯s economy of motion. Her dark chestnut hair was cut in short spikes that made it easy to see her blue fighter¡¯s implant on her neck with two black stripes that matched the ones on the belt tied at her waist. Her high cheekbones framed eyes that focused on the sensei¡¯s figure across from her. It seemed as if the rest of the room¡¯s occupants held their breath as Gebi stalked toward their instructor. Nigai barely moved. She didn¡¯t even have her guard up, and Kiriai wondered why Gebi was exercising so much caution. ¡°If you take any longer . . .¡± Nigai began. Before the sensei could finish her sentence, Gebi lunged forward with a kick that flicked up from the floor. She followed it with a lead hand punch moving so fast, an invisible string seemed to have yanked it forward. Nigai waited until the last moment to respond, and Kiriai was sure she would see their instructor¡¯s head snap back from a punch at any moment. Instead, Sensei Nigai leaned to one side followed by a turn and spin that made all of Gebi¡¯s attacks miss their marks. Kiriai could have sworn one of Gebi¡¯s punches brushed against the sensei¡¯s cheeks. Kiriai¡¯s eyes widened. She¡¯d only seen this kind of fighting on the screens, never in person. Before the younger brawler¡¯s foot had even landed from her kick, she stumbled forward, hands flailing. Kiriai didn¡¯t even see what Nigai did, but the sensei didn¡¯t pursue her advantage. In a moment, Gebi caught her balance and spun back to face her sensei. She attacked again, lightning- fast but just as unable to land a blow against her sensei. The more experienced woman was untouchable in a way Kiriai¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t follow. Watching the amazing display of skill, desire and worry clashed inside Kiriai. If she could learn moves like that, she¡¯d be unbeatable in the ring. Too bad there wasn¡¯t time to learn them and then take them home to teach the Jitaku scrappers. This kind of skill would have helped them hold on to the territory Raibaru had been whittling away at over the year-long war. Now, her home had the two options that she and her crew had been endlessly debating. The first, and best, plan was to find reinforcement scrappers to send home so they could spell Jitaku¡¯s weary scrappers, who were being beaten into the ground by Raibaru¡¯s seemingly endless supply of fresh fighters. Or, if the worst happened and Raibaru won a majority of Jitaku Hood, the fight would move to the burb level. Then the Southern Burb brawlers would be the only ones left to defend her home from conquest by their enemy, Western Burb. But she was nowhere close to the skill of these brawlers and would have little if any role if it came to that. Kiriai¡¯s heart sank. Fighting had always been her talent, and she rose to every challenge, excited to improve. But now, how could she get to this level of fighting in time to help save her home? Kiriai clenched her jaw. Somehow, she and her crew had to make their first plan succeed. They would force the other hoods to send reinforcements by any means necessary. And soon, before time ran out. Nigai had straightened with a chuckle and made a pushing motion with one hand. ¡°That¡¯s all you get, Gebi. One chance to hit me back. You failed, but¡±¡ªthe older woman brushed one hand across her cheek¡ª¡°you came closer than anyone has in quite some time. Nicely done. Back in line, now.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sensei,¡± said Gebi before spinning and jogging back to her position. Kiriai caught the glimpse of a tight smile as she ran past. When everyone was in position again, Sensei Nigai moved back in front of them and . . . yawned. It took great force of will for Kiriai not to follow suit. ¡°I hate getting up early and am only here because it¡¯s required of me. But I have taught you a lesson and demonstrated fighting skills, which means my responsibilities are done. Back to bed for me.¡± She stopped and looked at the back row of brawlers. ¡°Brawler Gebi, with your show of skill today, I think I¡¯ll turn these babies over to you for the rest of the month. You are now officially the Head Trainer. Try to find out if they have what it takes to join your ranks.¡± Sensei Nigai aimed a cheerful look at them and then added, ¡°Oh, and make them hurt.¡± Without another word the strange sensei turned and meandered out of the room. By the time she had disappeared, Trainer Gebi was standing in front of them, and Kiriai groaned inwardly at the look on her face. Combat Shift: Book 5 Chp 3 ¡°Why does everyone keep blaming machine intelligence for the end of the world? Human beings built those machines and programmed them with specific instructions. Then our enemies figured out how to hack in, to bring the entire world crashing down around us. AI weapon systems, nukes, guns, they are all tools used by us. We¡¯re the ones who destroyed our world, and we¡¯re the ones who have to rebuild it.¡± ¡ª Journal of Elliot Tucker, Leader of Idaho Compound and future Founding Father of Chikara City. Oath Keepers Archive of Truth, Volume 2
Trainer Gebi waited until Sensei Nigai exited the far end of the barracks before she turned back to the row of initiates staring at her, silent and waiting. ¡°Well, now that that¡¯s over, it¡¯s time for us to have some fun,¡± she said and waved at her fellow brawlers to join her. The other fighters sauntered around to take their places on either side of her. Gebi¡¯s smile was the opposite of reassuring. ¡°As you heard, my name is Brawler Gebi, but to you, for the next month, you will address me as Trainer. You will answer, ¡®Yes, Trainer¡¯ or ¡®No, Trainer¡¯ when I ask you a question. Do you understand?¡± The beat of silence after her question seemed to enrage her. ¡°I repeat: Do you understand me?¡± Kiriai wasn¡¯t the only one who flinched, but she readily joined in with the other initiates in yelling, ¡°Yes, Trainer!¡± ¡°Follow me to the training hall. Now!¡± Gebi spun on her heel and jogged toward the doorway. Taken by surprise again, none of the initiates moved . . . until the yelling started. ¡°Move it! Move it!¡± One of the brawlers stepped forward, spit flying as he screamed. Kiriai¡¯s pulse jumped and her first instinct made her want to drop into a fighting stance, hands raised. As soon as her mind caught up, she knew it would be a bad idea. Even worse would be to let a hint of her humor at the situation show on her expression. Now that she was feeling more awake, the haranguing felt familiar. Kiriai sent a mental thanks to Trainer Kakyo from the youth arenas, who¡¯d used similar tactics to prepare them for the stress of fighting. A lean man next to Kiriai had already moved, racing after Brawler Gebi. Face carefully blank, Kiriai fell in right behind him. ¡°What? You don¡¯t know how to run?¡± The screaming continued behind her as the rest of the initiates moved. ¡°Go! Go!¡± The short line of eight initiates ran through the hallway, still in their sparse sleeping clothes, bare feet soundless on tightly woven rugs. This hallway was much more spartan compared to the entrance they¡¯d taken yesterday. Moments later, they followed Gebi through a smaller doorway that dumped them into the far side of the large training hall. Lanterns barely lit the vast space, which swallowed the sounds of their movement. Everything looked much more menacing and eerie compared to yesterday¡¯s celebration. Gebi led them in a run past shelves and containers filled with training equipment of every sort. Kiriai wanted to stop and look closer but knew that she¡¯d have plenty of chances soon. The corner of one side of her mouth turned up at the thought. She¡¯d never been afraid of hard work, and if the brawler organization would help her hone her fighting skills . . . well, the thought sent a thrill through her. Fighting had always been her first love. Kiriai was happy to leave the political maneuvering to Tomi and Shisen. They would pump their contacts for information and wrangle advantages to help Jitaku¡¯s quest for reinforcements. Kiriai would much rather ignore all that, including the powerful people entangled in the mess, and focus on her fighting. Her excitement wavered as she remembered the skill level she¡¯d seen in the short confrontation between Sensei Nigai and Brawler Gebi. Could she improve that much in the time she had? ¡°Toes on the line! Arms out! Space yourselves until your fingers don¡¯t touch!¡± The man she¡¯d been following ran and stopped on the line indicated. He snapped to attention before holding both of his arms out in a T-shape while staring straight ahead. Kiriai decided he¡¯d be a good one to follow and mimicked his actions. Frozen in the requested position, she didn¡¯t look as she heard the rest of their group fall in. It took only moments. It wasn¡¯t as if they were new recruits. Everyone here had been fighting for years, and obeying a demanding sensei was child¡¯s play now that they were all wide awake. ¡°Attention!¡± Feet snapped together and hands slapped against the thin fabric of their shorts. Brawler Gebi paced in front of them, staring at each of them. When she came to Kiriai, a look of derision flashed across her face so fast, Kiriai thought she might have imagined it. ¡°So maybe not all of you are worthless,¡± Gebi said as she returned to front and center. She was looking at Kiriai when she said worthless. Kiriai forced herself not to react. What was going on here? ¡°The ability to follow an order well,¡± said Trainer Gebi as she moved her gaze up and down their line, ¡°while a beginning skill, is one you will need every day of your new life as a brawler.¡± She stopped and smirked before continuing. ¡°If you make it, that is. Sensei Nigai gave you a small taste of your new life. We brawlers belong to one man, Chief Kengen Kosui of Southern Burb, and anyone he delegates control to. We obey absolutely and we do this willingly. Willingly! Why?¡± She stopped to look at her fellow brawlers, who had lined up on either side of her, four on either side. When she looked back, her expression was fierce and a touch fanatic. ¡°Because Chief Kosui keeps our burb, our hoods, and our families safe from our enemies.¡± She paused and her statement echoed in the huge hall that dwarfed their small group. Then she grinned. ¡°And because he shares all the credits and power with his loyal fighters.¡± A handful of the brawlers chuckled at her words, grins of agreement on their faces. Gebi clapped her hands together, face stern again. ¡°The ¡¯forcer armband will always be here waiting for any of you who want the easy life. Feel free to quit at any time.¡± She pointed toward the doorway they¡¯d come through, and Kiriai saw that someone had placed the post in a prominent position just inside the hall. Kiriai pursed her lips. Like she would throw everything away for the power offered by the limp armband that hung there. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get started honing your bodies into something close to the condition expected of Southern Burb brawlers.¡± Gebi turned to her fellow trainers. ¡°T-drills. Grab body shields, then positions!¡± The other brawlers sprang into action, moving as fast as Gebi had under Sensei Nigai¡¯s orders. Kiriai held her attention stance as each brawler ran to equipment shelves, grabbed a shield and raced back to lineup facing the initiates, leaving about ten feet between each other. As they stepped back into stances, the brawlers slid their arms into the straps on the shields and braced them against their forward legs. The shields looked much better than the ones Kiriai trained with back home. Burb craftsmen had made them out of a tight canvas weave with double-reinforced stitching. No fraying fabric or straps for burb brawler equipment. Randomly, Kiriai wondered what they filled them with. Probably something better than the lumpy mishmash of rags shoved into the ones she normally used. They definitely didn¡¯t stint on credits for their fighters here. ¡°Spread out to face one of your trainers. Now! Move!¡± barked Gebi. Kiriai responded quickly, ready to get to work. Talking was overrated. Once the initiates were in position, Gebi stepped up and took the pad from the man closest to her. ¡°Brawler Akumu, let¡¯s show the newbs how this is done.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. The lean man grinned and moved across from Trainer Gebi, giving the initiate there a none-too-gentle nudge out of the way. ¡°Reverse punches. Move!¡± The brawler surged forward across the open space and slammed a solid fist into Gebi¡¯s shield as soon as he was close enough. Without pausing, he moved with fast lateral steps to his right until he reached the next trainer in line. Another solid punch and he was returning to the left, where he hit Gebi¡¯s pad again as he passed. Kiriai saw the muscles of her body flex with the impact and marveled at how hard the man was hitting while moving so fast. He reached the woman to Gebi¡¯s left, punched her shield and reversed his motion so fast his body leaned at a sharp angle. A final punch to Gebi¡¯s pad and he was churning his feet to run backward back to his position, where he snapped to attention, drill complete. Standing next to him, Kiriai could hardly hear him breathing much. Not only were these brawlers a few levels above her in skill, they were in amazing physical condition. How long had it taken them to get that good? ¡°That is the T-drill. It will improve your stamina, agility and foot speed. You better be fast or your neighbor will run into you. Your turn. Ready?¡± ¡°Yes, Trainer,¡± Kiriai yelled with the others and pushed her worries aside for another time. ¡°Move!¡± Kiriai ran as fast as she could, her bare feet gripping the polished wood floor as she changed directions while trying to settle her weight to put a decent power behind her punches. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw two initiates barely avoid a collision. She didn¡¯t let it distract her, pushing herself to move faster. Back at attention, her knuckles stung and she could feel the skin on the bottom of her feet burning after only the first repetition. ¡°Again!¡± Kiriai launched herself forward again. And again. ¡°Faster!¡± Her lungs burned and she could taste copper at the back of her throat. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± The trainers yelled and jabbed their punching shields forward as her arms tired and her punches lost power. ¡°The armband is right over there if you want to quit already.¡± The initiate at the end of the line to Kiriai¡¯s left broke first, bending forward, hands on his thighs, sucking in deep gulps of air. ¡°Again!¡± Kiriai forced her legs to move despite the wooden feeling of overused muscles. She managed yet another repetition. Barely. When the initiate didn¡¯t move forward with the rest of the group, Gebi charged at him, yelling. ¡°Move it! Again! Don¡¯t just stand there. Do you want to be a brawler?¡± The man¡¯s head lifted and he gave her a faint nod. ¡°Then move it! Now! Go!¡± He moved forward at what could only generously be called a jog just as the rest of the group was running backward in the final movement of the T-drill. And then it happened. Whether it was her burning muscles, exhaustion or the distraction of the yelling trainers, Kiriai lost focus for a brief second and didn¡¯t pick her foot up far enough. Her heel caught on the floor and the slight stumble was enough to send her falling backward to the floor. At the last moment, she curled her back and turned to hit with her shoulder, instinctively working to protect her back and arm. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Gebi leapt forward to yell at her. Kiriai tried to scramble back to her feet, but her body was happy right where it was. The thoughts running through her mind weren¡¯t any help either. She had already failed after the first exercise on the first morning of brawler training . . . all before breakfast. This was much harder than she¡¯d expected. How was she going to survive a month of this, much less excel? And here she¡¯d thought she was in decent condition. ¡°Any time now, initiate. Stand up!¡± Kiriai rolled to the side and got herself to one knee. ¡°How did you even make it here?¡± Gebi was leaning forward, yelling so close to Kiriai that it made her ears ring. ¡°Who did you pay off to get here? Did you cheat to get here? What? You want to quit now that someone is making you do some real work for once?¡± Kiriai¡¯s gaze snapped to Gebi¡¯s at the personal attacks and saw only malice there. ¡°Aw, there is a little fight in you after all. More than I heard.¡± Kiriai clenched her teeth, pulled her feet under her and pushed to her feet. She wasn¡¯t imagining this. Gebi had a problem with her, a personal one. Lionel Sosa¡¯s opinion was that ¡°Anger does not solve problems¡ªanger only makes things worse.¡± Practicing your Centering during these conditioning drills would help you level up multiple skills at the same time. Yabban¡¯s calm statement punctured the emotions building up in Kiriai. She sucked in a breath, turned from Gebi and aimed her gaze straight ahead. Kiriai focused on calming her breathing as her lungs heaved from the effort she¡¯d been expending. Thanks, Yabban. I thought I had kicked this anger thing. Guess not. Why was the apple mean and angry? I¡¯m not an apple, Yabban. Gebi was yelling something next to her ear, but Kiriai held her position, using the easy banter with her AI to distract her. It was a crab apple. Kiriai smiled inside, and the last of her anger fizzled away. Her pulse was slowing, but the rest of her body was slipping into that shaky stage that came after pushing too hard. ¡°Line up! Attention!¡± Glad that she seemed to have lost Gebi¡¯s attention, Kiriai tried to psych herself up for whatever was coming next. ¡°Trainers. Line up for alley drill.¡± The initiates watched as the brawlers ran back to the equipment racks and returned with padded clubs in addition to their shields. That couldn¡¯t be good. The trainers split into two lines, four on each side and facing each other, ten feet between their rows. When they were all in place, on some unspoken signal, they all yelled ¡°Oda!¡± and dropped back as one into fighting stances. The practice bats sat on their shoulders while they braced the shields on their forward legs. Gebi moved to stand at one end of the alley. ¡°Initiates! Line up behind me now.¡± Everyone quickly obeyed. Kiriai stifled a groan when one of the other initiates slowed at a crucial moment, leaving Kiriai to be the first in line behind Gebi. Kiriai made a mental note to remember that trick. ¡°Pay attention! I will now demonstrate the alley drill. I will attack each of my opponents with a front kick as fast as I can while still maintaining my form. Move fast. Hit hard. Don¡¯t get hit. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Trainer!¡± Kiriai¡¯s inner rebel wondered briefly what would happen if she yelled ¡°No, Trainer!¡± instead. Shaking off the distracting thought, Kiriai focused on breathing to her usual slow count and pushed her emotions and body to settle as she used the small break to center herself. In front of her, she watched Gebi fly through the alley, her kicks slamming into the shields with powerful thuds. She maintained a perfect fighting stance, her upper body swaying and moving to let the padded clubs whistle past her head without landing. The other brawlers were grinning, their clubs moving as fast as she did, whipping in deceptive patterns to try to catch the wily trainer with the single attack allotted them as she sped by. A younger man whooped with glee when his pad grazed Gebi¡¯s shoulder, and she tipped her head with a grin in passing. Mere seconds after starting, Gebi reached the end of the drill and turned to face Kiriai, who stood lined up at the head of the initiates. Her grin disappeared and her expression hardened. ¡°Initiate Kiriai. Let¡¯s see what you have.¡± Steeled against whatever grudge Gebi had against her, Kiriai focused on pushing her tired muscles to respond despite the short recovery time. *** ¡°Back to your barracks! Get cleaned up and dressed. Eat breakfast. You have exactly one hour and I expect you to be back here in the exact same spots. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Trainer,¡± they all yelled. Kiriai wasn¡¯t the only one whose voice had an undercurrent of relief to it. At least the last drill had been for one initiate at a time, giving the others a chance to recover between repetitions. Kiriai barely noticed the crawl of sweat that ran down the side of her face and neck. The hour of early-morning training had felt like ten, and Kiriai didn¡¯t dare think about surviving the rest of the day. Her lungs no longer burned, and her face felt hot enough to fry an egg on. Plus, her hair, tunic and shorts were sweat-soaked. She¡¯d never trained this hard. It was becoming obvious that the brawlers¡¯ skills were on a different level than she was used to, and they worked extremely hard to get that way. How was she supposed to measure up? Jitaku Hood didn¡¯t have much time. Without another word, the group of trainers turned and jogged away, heading to a different doorway. Left alone, Kiriai felt her body sag. She wasn¡¯t the only one. ¡°Well, that was fun,¡± said the man who had been the first to fail at the start of their training. He turned and headed back the way they had come. ¡°We only have an hour,¡± he said as he looked back at them over his shoulder and waved one hand at the time on one of the wallscreens. ¡°We¡¯d better hurry.¡± Combat Shift: Book 5 Chp 4 ¡°Initiates¡¯ table is over there,¡± a woman said with a dismissive glance and pointed to her right when Kiriai, tray in hand, tried to sit at an empty spot at her table. Flushing, Kiriai looked across the bustling eatery and saw that, yes, there was a large, mostly empty table in the center of the room. Two of her fellow initiates already sat, eating with single-minded focus. All she could see was the tops of their heads, damp from the shower, as they leaned over their trays. Kiriai hurried in their direction, knowing how little time they had. She reminded herself not to eat too much, especially considering what tortures Gebi might have in store for them. ¡°I¡¯m Brawler Kiriai,¡± she said as she set her tray down next to the dark-haired man, whom she recognized as the one who had tired out first. She was pretty sure his name was Jimu. She knew how he fought, from analyzing him last month in the brawler tournament, but she was embarrassed to admit she hadn¡¯t spent too much effort remembering names. His head popped up, and he forced a swallow down before replying. ¡°Don¡¯t let any of them catch you saying that,¡± he said with a tip of his head to the rest of the room. ¡°Apparently they don¡¯t consider us brawlers like them until we suffer through the next month without quitting.¡± He shrugged a shoulder and gave her a half smile. ¡°Misery always loves company. They had to suffer through it when they started, so somehow they enjoy making sure we do the same.¡± Kiriai set her tray down and pulled back a chair to sit. He reached out a hand. ¡°Initiate Jimu here,¡± he said, injecting a hefty dose of sarcasm into the title. Kiriai relaxed and shook his hand, letting her defenses drop a little for the first time since Sensei Nigai shocked them out of bed this morning. ¡°Initiate Kiriai,¡± she said with half a grin before reaching for her spoon and shoveling a big bite of a colorful egg-and-vegetable dish into her mouth. She tried not to moan at the burst of flavors and textures. At least their initiation didn¡¯t bar them from the brawlers¡¯ food. That in itself almost made up for the rest of it. Jimu smiled and nodded at her reaction. After he swallowed, he paused for a second. His expression sobered and he leaned in to speak quietly. ¡°You seem to be a decent sort. Don¡¯t let all the nastiness get to you. All of us fought and earned our spots here.¡± He waved a hand at the rest of the table. ¡°We¡¯re brawlers and they can¡¯t take that away from us if we don¡¯t give it to them. Just remember that, no matter how bad it gets. We¡¯re brawlers.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°And we¡¯ll learn to fight as good as them?¡± Kiriai let the words and doubt slip out before she could stop them. His eyebrows shot up. ¡°Them? Of course. They all sat right where we are sitting when they started. Just give it some time and we¡¯ll be just as good.¡± Kiriai forced a smile in thanks for the encouragement as a painful knot tightened in her chest. Time. That was one thing she and the people of Jitaku Hood didn¡¯t have. A tray clattered down across the table from her, jarring her from her thoughts. The tall woman didn¡¯t even look at her. She was eating almost before she¡¯d fully sat down. She¡¯d tied her light cinnamon hair back, revealing features a little too rugged to be pretty and now filled with a focused intensity. Kiriai recognized her as the first brawler Chief Kosui had chosen at the end of the tournament. She¡¯d seemed friendly enough from the short interactions they¡¯d had a few weeks ago. ¡°Good to see you again, Initiate Jiseki,¡± Kiriai said, aiming for cordial. The woman looked up and stared at her, silent as she chewed. When she finished, instead of answering, she let out a short disgusted huff, shook her head and returned her attention to her meal. The unexpected rebuff stung, especially after Jimu¡¯s friendliness. More than that, Kiriai had no idea what had prompted it. She hardly knew Jiseki. ¡°Rumors are the bane of Southern Core. Just ignore them,¡± muttered Jimu without looking at her as he stood, tray in hand, plates empty. Before she could ask for details, he strode quickly toward the cleanup area. His fast pace reminded Kiriai to hurry, and she followed suit, polishing off her single plate of food. Across from her, Jiseki remained silent as she ate. The rest the initiates now sat at the table, but like Jiseki, they kept to themselves, eating with none of the camaraderie, or even friendly challenging, Kiriai was used to among a group of fighters assigned together. A sudden wave of homesickness washed over her. She wanted her friends and family around her instead of these touchy strangers. Even the battles in her home arena with fellow scrappers took on a nostalgic glow compared to this new world of skills that made her feel like a beginner again. She prayed that Tomi and Shisen had good news when she met with everyone tonight. By tonight, she¡¯d really need some. Combat Shift: Book 5 Chp 5 ¡°We¡¯ll probably never know how it all started. Was it a concerted effort by a powerful country or the focused work of a small group of fanatics? Does it matter? What we do know is that by the end of the first month, almost all of mankind¡¯s deadliest creations had been released.¡± ¡ª Journal of Army Reserve Captain Jasmyn Starks, Army Research Lab, WSMR, New Mexico. Oath Keepers Archive of Truth, Volume 4
¡°Ah, at least the lot of you can be relied on to be punctual,¡± Gebi said as she paced back and forth in front of the stiff line of initiates, all standing in ready stances, eyes forward. ¡°I hope you enjoyed your break and are fully recovered from this morning¡¯s little warm-up.¡± There was an almost inaudible snort from Jimu¡¯s direction to her left, and Kiriai barely restrained a smile. Good thing, because Gebi¡¯s head snapped in their direction as she examined faces, looking for the culprit. No one moved. She charged in Kiriai¡¯s direction. ¡°You think this is funny, Initiate?¡± ¡°No, Trainer!¡± Kiriai belted out in the loud voice that Trainer Kakyo had instilled in her. ¡°Do you think being a brawler is something easy?¡± ¡°No, Trainer!¡± Kiriai steeled herself to keep yelling it until Gebi tired of harassing her. ¡°Is protecting Southern Burb from Western Burb a game to you?¡± ¡°No, Trainer!¡± Jimu¡¯s words from breakfast echoed in her mind. Being a brawler might not be a game, but this initiation was . . . a mind game. They couldn¡¯t do a thing to her, though, if she didn¡¯t quit. ¡°During this month, we will train your bodies to be faster and stronger than they¡¯ve ever been before. We will also drill basic principles into your thick heads until they are instinctive and require no thought.¡± Gebi stopped and looked at them with a warning glare. ¡°If you think too much during a fight, you will lose. You will practice every one of these skills until you can do them in your sleep. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Trainer!¡± they all shouted in unison. Kiriai was just happy to listen to Gebi drone for as long as possible. It gave her overused muscles more time to recover from the morning. She is making some good points. Perhaps you should listen to her and focus on improving your foundation. Yabban¡¯s words startled Kiriai. She forced herself not to dismiss them out of hand just because she disliked the head trainer. While her crew worked to get reinforcements, Kiriai needed to do her best to improve her fighting abilities. If the battle for Jitaku made it to the burb level, she didn¡¯t want to be left out of the equation because she wasn¡¯t good enough. Besides, she¡¯d seen a tiny sample of Gebi¡¯s fighting, and she didn¡¯t have to like the woman to want to move like her. ¡°All right. First things first. Let¡¯s learn how to stand,¡± said Gebi with a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°Left forward stances. Whichever style you favor. Move!¡± Kiriai barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes as she dropped her right foot back and braced her heel against the ground. She shifted her weight forward in the style of the beginning stance Yabban had taught her. Next to her, the other initiates all moved into their versions of the stance, weight shifting forward and feet turning at slightly different angles. Fighters of any caliber rarely used this type of stance in actual fighting because with the back foot braced firmly against the ground and the weight so far forward, it was immobile for all practical purposes. It was a perfect example of being caught flat-footed. Maybe Trainer Gebi wouldn¡¯t teach them anything valuable after all. ¡°Trainers, grab shields. Line up facing the initiates.¡± The other brawlers hurried to obey and in seconds there was one in front of each of them. A woman about Kiriai¡¯s size faced her with a stony look on her face that promised little mercy. ¡°Your job, Initiates, is to stand there. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Trainer!¡± ¡°Do not move backward or sideways and whatever you do, do not fall down. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Trainer!¡± ¡°Well,¡± she said in a softer, smug voice, ¡°let¡¯s see how well you can follow simple instructions. Trainers, attack.¡± The woman in front of Kiriai lunged forward and bashed her padded shield into Kiriai almost before Gebi had completed the order. Taken by surprise, Kiriai felt the shield smash into her, the brunt of the force hitting into her front knee and lead hand. Thankfully, Kiriai had bent her knee and her foot gripped the ground. But it wasn¡¯t enough. The force threw Kiriai back, her stance breaking as she flung her hands up for balance. She kept her feet at least. Barely.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°What kind of stance is that? Why can¡¯t you hold a simple stance?¡± Ignoring the yelling as best she could, Kiriai quickly moved into her forward stance again, raised her hands and braced her legs. ¡°Attack!¡± yelled Gebi. The woman didn¡¯t hesitate to slam the pad into Kiriai again with tremendous strength. This time Kiriai kept her feet in their position, but her whole body bent backward under the force of the blow. Her lead hand snapped back so fast she hit herself in the lip. ¡°That¡¯s better. At least you didn¡¯t go flying back like the first time,¡± said the trainer, facing her, already back in position. Without hesitating, Kiriai shifted her weight forward, dropped her center of gravity lower and gripped the ground with her toes and edges of her feet. She sucked her lip into her mouth and tasted blood. She was determined to keep her stance intact this time. ¡°Attack!¡± The canvas of the padded shield burned the skin of her forearm with the force of the blow. This time Kiriai barely moved under the bashing attack, but she felt the power of it ripple through her body and muscles, driving her rear heel into the ground. ¡°So you can learn! After only three attacks, you¡¯re up to a beginner level of maintaining a solid base,¡± said Gebi, who had come up beside the other trainer, unnoticed. Kiriai ignored the malice in the head trainer¡¯s expression, instead keeping her focus on the trainer in front of her. She wouldn¡¯t let her take her by surprise. ¡°Attack!¡± Again and again the hated shield slammed head-on into her body. Whatever padding the shield had seemed to harden into something painful with each successive blow. A different kind of weariness from this morning¡¯s seeped into her muscles as the unrelenting blows continued. Kiriai¡¯s rear knee wanted to bend, and her arms struggled not to droop with each subsequent attack. Just as her resolve wavered, Gebi called a halt, but not for a much-needed break. ¡°Neutral stances. Move!¡± There wasn¡¯t much pep in the initiates¡¯ movement, but Kiriai saw them all obey, shifting their weight back to center and changing their foot positions. ¡°Trainers, move and shift. From the front and behind. Continue until I say halt. Attack!¡± Like predators, the trainers circled the line of initiates, and Kiriai felt a blow slam into her back. She fought to keep her position, but couldn¡¯t help letting her feet take a short step forward. Immediately, she moved back into position and worked harder to strengthen her stance. Kiriai bent her knees farther and pushed down with her legs, almost as if she were trying to drill her bare feet through the floor. Every muscle in her legs shook with tension, poised to resist the next blow. The next one hit from the front, thrown by a female trainer who, while she hit fast, lacked the bulk of the others. It stung, but Kiriai held her position, unmoving. She smiled inside, but was careful not to let it show on her face. There was no need to antagonize the trainers. This wasn¡¯t that hard of a skill, after all. Blow after blow smashed into her. The ones from the front weren¡¯t so bad, because there was plenty of warning. But with the trainers jogging around them mixed with the grunts and blows all along the line, it was difficult to anticipate the ones from behind. Kiriai snuck a quick glance behind herself, hoping for a little more warning. ¡°Eyes forward, Initiate!¡± came the command from the angry face of the trainer directly behind her. ¡°If we wanted you to be looking back, we would have told you. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Trainer!¡± Kiriai yelled as she snapped her eyes back to the front. A split-second later, the trainer¡¯s shield slammed into her back, throwing Kiriai¡¯s torso forward and making every muscle in her back and legs object. So maybe not so easy after all. Smash! Again. The incessant punishment of the drill made her earlier strategy unsustainable. She couldn¡¯t keep every muscle tensed and flexed indefinitely, waiting for the next blow. This was stupid. She never fought like this¡ªstanding still and letting someone hit her. It went against every one of her fighting instincts. Her strengths were in her speed, movement and making sure she never stayed still long enough to take this kind of beating. Kiriai¡¯s strength slipped, every muscle in her legs down to her toes, burning and hot. Out of necessity, Kiriai let her legs relax and straighten just a fraction. The relief was instant, and she almost groaned aloud. At the same time, she put her senses on high alert, striving for as much warning as possible to react when the next blow came. Her break was short-lived. One trainer bashed into the initiate next to her and without pause jumped sideways to slam into her. By the grin on his face, he was enjoying himself much more than the initiates were. Kiriai bent her knees, tightened everything to absorb the force and still felt her feet shift a few inches. This time, though, she kept her posture erect and stance balanced. As soon as the blow¡¯s power was spent, Kiriai relaxed everything again and grinned at the discovery. If she stayed poised for action, she could save energy and brace herself only when the threat materialized. Her movement felt like a young sapling that absorbed a blow but immediately sprang back into place. Even as tired as she felt, Kiriai couldn¡¯t wait for the next hit to see if she could do it again. The trainer stopped and stared at her expression. Kiriai froze. His grin widened, and he tipped his head at her before jogging on to his next victim. A quiet creak of a pad behind her and the quick intake of breath were her only warning for the next attack from behind. She was ready and coiled her muscles just in time. The pad drove into her back, but she absorbed the blow with her legs and feet, keeping her hands up and back straight. As soon as the incoming force stopped, Kiriai relaxed again and struggled not to smile. Sure, she hurt everywhere, bruises forming and muscles overused, but this was fun on a level only another fighter could understand. She knew she still had a huge talent gap to overcome, but taking the first step gave her hope. Another blow rocked into her as she flexed with it. If I survive the training, that is. Combat Shift: Book 5 Chp 6 Everything felt numb and Kiriai¡¯s teeth were chattering as the training assistant held up a big towel and finally indicated she could step out of the deep pool of freezing cold water. She would have thought it was a torture technique for the new initiates if she hadn¡¯t seen other brawlers pop in after a work-out, strip down to underthings and step into the cold water with barely a wince. The young man wrapped the towel around her with quick efficiency and put a mug of something hot in her hands and nodded toward the curtained alcoves. ¡°Dry off. Take one of the mesh bags for your wet things. Put on a robe and grab your belongings. You¡¯re off to fixer room five, next hallway to the right and third room on the right. Five minutes.¡± She barely had a chance to nod before he scurried off to grab another towel for the next fighter. Trying hard to pretend this was all familiar to her, Kiriai headed to the row of cubicles and hooks to grab her bag, sandals and robe. Arms full, she pulled aside a curtain and stepped into an alcove and followed directions. Goosebumps popped up all over her body and the room-temperature towel felt heated against her cold skin as she rubbed herself dry. The frigid water hadn¡¯t been fun, but Kiriai had to admit that her sore muscles felt soothed and less inflamed than they had earlier. Moments later, she emerged, the cozy softness of the provided robe so luxurious, she barely felt the straps of her own bag or the mesh one she had slung over her shoulder. Tossing the towel in a bin by the door, she walked out into the hall. There were locker rooms, the pool, and she thought the steam she¡¯d seen escape an opened door indicated a sauna. It was disconcerting to have so many expensive resources there for the taking. It was a dream come true for a fighter. And she hadn¡¯t even seen the private training areas yet. Is this a good time to update you on your improvements? Yabban asked in her thoughts. Improvements? I¡¯ve only been doing conditioning stuff. I thought the main game computer keeps track of stuff like stamina and agility, not you. Has that changed? No. The main computer monitors those statistics and remains inaccessible to me. I still have no answer for the lack of connection. Perhaps we are playing in an isolated section of the game. Hacking is also a possibility. I will inform you as soon as I find new information. Kiriai didn¡¯t correct her friend. They¡¯d come to an impasse on the issue. Yabban insisted that the main-game AI would eventually make contact and fix everything, but Kiriai didn¡¯t force the truth on Yabban that her game, with all its programming and support, had turned to dust centuries ago in the blast. Perhaps. But you mentioned improvements? Kiriai prompted as she exited the hallway back into the main training space. She turned and strode along the wall until she came to a hallway to her right. The faint smell of healing herbs confirmed she had the right place. Yes. Congratulations, you have unlocked and learned the fighting principle Solid Foundation. Kiriai stopped walking and frowned. What kind of principle is that? Your ability to hold your position against outside forces. Surely you remember the trainers hitting you from all sides? Kiriai snorted and started walking again. Of course I do. But that¡¯s a basic principle. Surely I¡¯ve used it and unlocked it before now. You may have accidentally used a version, but to unlock a principle, you must focus on and execute the most fundamental form of it. Cheer up, though. At least it¡¯s already leveled up to Learned with all the work you just did. Yabban¡¯s words stopped for a second and Kiriai felt a sense of satisfaction along their link, or was it glee? I think this training will be very beneficial to your fighting skills.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Kiriai groaned as she reached the correct door with the number five carved in strong, black relief into the rich cherry wood. I think you just enjoy watching me suffer and even more so when it¡¯s focusing on the basics like you keep insisting I do. No pain, no gain, said Yabban with just a touch of pleasure. Kiriai laughed. Now that¡¯s a wise saying I can agree with. And I need to improve as fast as possible. If this is what I have to do to get there, then pain it is. Kiriai stretched and let out a soft groan before knocking on the door. The sooner the fixer helped her heal, the better. She¡¯d rather have Isha¡¯s fixing help, but any help after the first day of training would be more than welcome. The door slid open and Kiriai stared, surprised. ¡°Get in here already,¡± Mikata said as she grabbed Kiriai and pulled her forward into the room. Kiriai yelped as Mikata¡¯s hand hit a mass of bruises that had collected along her forearm today. ¡°Sorry,¡± her friend said, immediately letting go. Mikata reached behind Kiriai, slid the door shut and engaged the ornate latch. Kiriai barely noticed as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her at the full room. Tomi and Eigo sat together in a lounge against the left wall, though Tomi took almost all the space on the medium-sized sofa. A second couch held Aibo and Shisen, whose hand on the younger girl¡¯s knee looked to be the only thing keeping Aibo from leaping up when she spotted Kiriai To Kiriai¡¯s right stood a padded table with Isha nearby, obvious concern etched onto her face. She¡¯d arrayed herbs and poultice supplies on the counter behind her. A pot of tea steamed on the small cast-iron stove in the corner and filled the room with a familiar aroma. It was almost too much. Kiriai sucked in a sharp breath and ordered her eyes to stop watering. She¡¯d just seen them all yesterday. There was no need to get so emotional. ¡°Looks like they cooled you down, which will help with all the damage I¡¯m sure they did to you today. Get over here so I can finish fixing you up for another round tomorrow.¡± The touch of command in Isha¡¯s words helped. Kiriai gave her a grateful look and strode across to the fixer¡¯s table. She began to pull off her robe and suddenly remembered her audience. ¡°Quit dawdling, Eigo, and bring that byobu over here,¡± Isha said. He jumped up and grabbed one of the standing screens along the wall and slid it across the floor until it stood between the fixer table and the sitting area. Kiriai gave him a quick nod of thanks before he slipped back behind the screen, leaving her and Isha shielded from view. ¡°Up on the bed, child. Let me see what they did to you.¡± Isha helped Kiriai out of her robe as she lay face down on the table. A sharp intake of breath made Kiriai wince. ¡°Ancestors,¡± said Isha in a soft voice. ¡°I¡¯ll never understand why you do this to yourself. If I didn¡¯t know how much you love it, I would never stand for it.¡± Something inside Kiriai relaxed at the familiar love and outrage she heard in Isha¡¯s voice. Kiriai let herself sink into the padded table as she felt a cool sheet drape over her back and legs. ¡°Can we talk now?¡± Tomi¡¯s deep voice asked from the other side of the byobu, making Kiriai¡¯s smile widen. ¡°Go ahead. Kiriai might be happy for the distraction while I work on her. She only has an hour here before she¡¯s expected at dinner and then back at her barracks for lights out.¡± ¡°All right,¡± said Tomi, ¡°before you ask, no, it isn¡¯t normal for your entire crew to join you in your fixer appointment. But even though we¡¯ve only been here a day, I decided we needed a planning and information meeting.¡± A touch of humor entered his voice as he continued. ¡°I cleared it with a clerk who thought it was a great idea to offer emotional support to our new brawler who was so far from home.¡± Kiriai chuckled and would have shaken her head if she could. Tomi was a master of sweet-talking his way into almost anything, and his skill had come in handy. Her thoughts sobered. All of Jitaku might depend on that skill now. Tomi¡¯s next words echoed her thoughts. ¡°Today Shisen and I have been making contacts in the offices and households of the top officials of the other three hoods. It¡¯s not looking good. We have powerful enemies and no idea who they are. In addition, I just received the results from Jitaku¡¯s battles yesterday against Raibaru. We won one and lost four, which gives Raibaru ownership of forty-five percent of our territory, the most they¡¯ve controlled in the last five years. We are only a handful of losses from having Jitaku¡¯s fate become the responsibility of Chief Kosui and his brawlers.¡± Silence greeted his words, and suddenly Kiriai¡¯s bumps and bruises didn¡¯t seem so important anymore. World of Combat Books 1-5 Now on Amazon. Hi Royal Road Readers, Thanks for reading my World of Combat series. I know you have a lot of choices and sitting here alone at my computer, I''m totally thrilled that you''re enjoying my writing. :) I''ve been releasing them here first, and leaving the first 10% of the story here once they are ready for publication to Amazon. If you enjoyed the stories and feel like leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads or Bookbub, I''d really appreciate it. Interested in reading about Kiriai and Ojisan''s backstory? Check out the free prequel at: MistyZaugg.com/welcome I appreciate all the feedback, reviews and comment - I hope it helps me become a better writer. Feel free to message me on my website or find me on Facebook or r/litrpg as docmisty. -- Misty :)
Links for anyone interested:This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. On Amazon and Free in Kindle Unlimited: - Combat Origin - Book 1 - Combat Mind - Book 2 - Combat Outbreak - Book 3 - Combat Impulse - Book 4 - Combat Shift - Book 5 (Published on Amazon on 4/17)
Review links: 1. For Royal Road: Scroll down on the Main Fiction Page and fill out the review box under the list of chapters (don''t forget to click the box next to "Advanced Review" to give more stars if you''d like to be more specific) 2. Links for Amazon, Bookbub and/or Goodreads: Review Combat Origin on Amazon Review Combat Origin on GoodReads Review Combat Origin on Bookbub Thank so much for reading - let me know what you''d like to see next! -- Misty :)