Chapter 115

“Back again? Well you’re more consistent than your brother.” John offered as he noticed me working on a full punching bag. I was ducking and sliding making sure I was working my footing the best I could as I circled the bag. My legs getting a workout with how often I was shifting around and throwing hands.

 

“Jun’s lazy about exercise. Prefers to just chrome up.” I mentioned in short gasps as I backed off the bag, for a moment and then moved back in a few punches to the side as if I was up close and punching kidneys. I might be fairly out of breath, but I was close to a level up!

 

“Most kids prefer that. You’ve got chrome arms, but still practice, pretty unusual.” He said and then walked over holding the back so it wouldn’t bounce as much letting me start hammering into the bag even harder and faster.

“Skill and strength aren’t the same.” I huffed out dryly as I looked at the older man who was looking over my form and seemingly finding no issues over my motions as I went wild. Moving as fast as possible as I hammered chrome hands into the bag again and again.

 

I was just glad I had actually put on the padded knuckle gloves that had been lying around. Otherwise I would have punched right through the damn thing.

 

“You know how to box.”

 

“Boxing’s one of the martial arts I actually had someone work with me on. I know an old guy that used to be a pro.” I replied. Even if Vik had only given me the one lesson with Jackie that one time.

 

It was still the truth and a better lie than nothing.

 

“You got something driving you. Something on your mind kid?”

“Huh?” I asked as I backed off and did some stretches to cool down a bit. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been out here punching the bag for over an hour. Something is driving you. Need to vent?” The old man offered as he continued to hold the bag for me.

 

I blinked, checking the time on my system before realizing I had lost track of time.

 

Oops.

 

Sure I was tired. I was sweating up a storm and I was pretty out of breath, but that was all minor stuff.

 

A nap and I would be back to 100% and feeling fine. But no one else knew that.

 

I shook my head. “I’ve had a lot of stuff happen in the last week or two. But I’m not… I’m not letting it bother me. I just lost track of time.”

 

“Heh. If I could get half the gonks that I train up to lose track of time like you. My job would be a lot easier.” I didn’t have anything to say to that, and as much as I wanted to try and get that Body level up. I realized I had gone a bit overboard. I took off the gloves and set them to the side as I walked off.

 

I heard a chuckle behind me, but I ignored it.

 

Shower and then a nap. That was all I needed.

 

—–

 

Waking up refreshed that evening I crawled out of my new bed and looked around the apartment. Jun’s boots were gone. So I was alone.

 

I sent a text out to the group chat, just to see how Malcolm was doing, and then instantly got flooded by replies.

 

*Motoko: How’s Malcolm holding up?*

 

*Malcolm: Doing alright.*

 

*Malcolm: Ichi’s been smothering me and I just kicked him out of the clinic. So expect some whining.*

 

*Ichi: Malcolm kicked me out of the clinic!*

 

*Ichi: I’m not whining! I just wanted to make sure you’re doing okay!*

 

*HIromi: I’m stuck finishing homework! Motoko rescue me! Also Malcolm and Ichi have been whining about each other all day.*

 

*Malcolm: We have not!*

 

*Ichi: The hell we have! Hiromi shut up!*

 

*Hiromi: See?*

 

I laughed at the back and forth. It seems everyone was doing okay if Malcolm and Ichi could fight.

 

*Motoko: Preem. Reminder once Malcolm is back on his feet we are going to have a big party!*

 

*Malcolm: Yes! See this is what I wanted to hear!*

 

*Ichi: Yeah alright that sounds good. Know where you want to have it?*

 

I blinked at that. Then I remembered. I walked into the kitchen and found the flyer.

 

I sent a picture to my chooms.

 

*Motoko: Maybe? There’s a bar near where I am that does live music. Want to test it out? Or we could go hit Lizzie’s?*

 

*Malcolm: Eh. As much as I like Lizzie’s, they don’t like us much. Anyone been to this bar?*

 

*Ichi: Yeah. I made some deliveries there before the war. Harukiya was nice enough I guess. More of a music bar, than the BD stuff we normally hang at. They have an entrance fee though.*

 

*Hiromi: Ichi we have money to pay for an entrance fee!*

 

*Malcolm: You say that like we don’t have eddies. Hiromi beat me to it!*

 

*Motoko: Then I guess we get to try it out once Malcolm feels better!*

 

I nodded as the conversation flowed into background noise of messages popping in. I wanted to scope out how good Rockerboy Neighbor was anyways! Stupid cool jerk!

 

I’d show them! I’d show them all!

 

But first… I was so close to a new Body level!

 

—–

 

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The sound of ‘The Only Thing They Fear Is You’ blasted through the apartment as I ran around.

 

I couldn’t rely on pushups to try and get the Body level so I had decided to use acrobatics. I was currently flipping around the apartment from one wall to the next, ending each set with a cool spinning kick, or a faux superman punch into the air, just to give myself something to do.

 

It was exercise and actually pretty hard work, since I was sweating up a storm and getting my muscles burning.

 

Then mid afternoon finally it happened.

 

*100 Body XP Gained*

 

*Body Leveled up!*

 

Body 8!

 

I stopped my routine as I felt the shudder go through my muscles. Breath in. Breath out.

 

“I feel amazing.” I whispered as I rushed to the bathroom and the mirror. It only took a few moments of checking my muscles to see the difference. Stronger. I felt stronger. I flexed my abs and grinned as it was definitely visible in the mirror.

 

Hell yeah! Superhero abs!

 

I exhaled in relief as I flopped onto the toilet for a moment.

 

“Sweaty.” I mumbled as I quickly stripped and fell into the shower letting the warm water wash it all away.

 

Heh. It had been a while since I had tried to grind out a Body point. I still wasn’t exactly the type to exercise all the time, but I had to admit it did feel good. Plus it meant I could grind out Athletics and Street Brawling again! I could go Parkour and get something out of it.

 

Well other than just fun.

 

That brought me up short.

 

Fun.

 

My system gave me incredible skills. Power. Talent. It let me do so many things… Like hunting Scavs down like the dogs they are.

 

But all of that was just what I could do. It wasn’t who I was.

 

Who I was… Was someone who took those skills and had fun with them.

 

I blinked as I wiped the water off my face. I got out of the shower. Quickly drying off, and getting dressed, adjusting my boots to make sure they were night and tight.

 

I loaded up my normal gear just in case but I could feel the beat of my heart urging me on.

 

Quickly running to the music box I copied a song to a shard. I had put together this song because I wanted it, and it had taken forever considering how many non-instrumental sounds it needed.