The blue screen flashed instantly.
[PURCHASE CONFIRMED: NANO-DART ACQUIRED
PURCHASE CONFIRMED: BOOST SERUM ACQUIRED
REMAINING GOLD COINS: 10]
Two items shimmered into existence right in my palm, sleek, high-tech gadgets that looked straight out of a sci-fi spy thriller.
The Boost Serum was a slim, glowing vial with a self-injecting needle tip, the blue liquid inside swirling like liquid lightning.
The Nano-Dart was a compact injector pen, matte black and ergonomic, loaded with a fast-acting sedative micro-dose, perfect for a quick jab up close.
No time to hesitate. Mirko's countdown was burning.
I forced my voice steady. "Okay... one good reason."
She raised an eyebrow, waiting.
I took a shaky breath. "Because if you kick me off this roof... you'll never know how I really got here. And trust me, you're gonna want to know."
Her ears perked slightly. Interest? Or just deciding how hard to hit me?
Either way, I moved.
First, I jammed the Boost Serum into my own thigh. The needle pierced deep, cold fire surging through my veins.
Mirko's red eyes snapped to the motion. "What the hell? Sneaky trick, perv?"
No hesitation. She exploded forward, leg coiling like a spring. Her boot rocketed toward my chest in a brutal front kick.
I twisted, but I was too slow. Her boot slammed into my chest like a truck. The air rushed out of my lungs in a painful whoosh.
My ribs cracked with a sharp snap. I flew backward, tumbling hard across the rough gravel rooftop. The sharp stones tore at my skin.
The edge of the roof came rushing up fast. I skidded to a stop just inches from falling off, gasping for breath, the whole world spinning around me.
But right then the serum finally kicked in. A wave of power surged through my body. My muscles swelled with strength. My vision became crystal clear.
My strength increased dramatically. The pain faded to a dull throb. I suddenly felt alive, buzzing with energy, unstoppable, even though I was still completely naked and humiliated.
Mirko didn't wait. She leaped high into the air, her silhouette dark against the moon, rabbit ears pointed straight forward, her grin wild and dangerous.
"Think that glowy junk saves you? Luna Fall!" she shouted, voice rough and full of mockery as she dropped down like a falling star, her powerful axe-kick aimed right at my head to smash me into the rooftop.
Boosted reflexes kicked in just in time. I rolled hard to the left. Her heel slammed down like a hammer. Concrete cracked and shattered under the force.
Debris shot outward. The shockwave rattled my teeth and sent a gust of dust into my face. I landed on my side, gravel digging painfully into my bare skin, but I pushed up fast, my new speed turning me into a quick blur.
Down below, the crowd stirred at the sudden boom from above, heads tilting up in confusion. A few people paused, squinting into the night sky.
"What was that? Sounds like something's up there," one muttered.
I lunged forward, thrusting the Nano-Dart like a knife, desperate to close the gap and end the fight quickly. In my head I kept thinking, come on, just hit her leg, get this over with.
But Mirko was too fast. She spun away with effortless grace, her white hair whipping through the air.
"Too slow, idiot!" she shouted, her voice rough and full of cocky delight. "Luna Ring!"
She launched into a cartwheel, her powerful legs stretching out in a deadly spinning arc. Her red eyes narrowed with savage glee, clearly enjoying every second.
I barely dodged, gravel crunching under my feet as her kick sliced past. She was already on me again.
I tried to jab the dart toward her thigh, but she stomped down hard on my hand.
Pain exploded through my fingers. Bones ground together. I let out a raw, guttural scream like a wounded animal, "Aaaarrrghhh!" high-pitched and desperate, tearing from my throat in a long, broken wail that echoed off the rooftop.
The dart slipped from my grip and rolled away.
"Ha! Nice try, creep," she snarled, her voice dripping with taunting satisfaction. Her eyes flashed with annoyance at how stubbornly I kept fighting. "Now stay down!"
But I wasn't done. Since it was a system item, I could store it and pull it back anytime, like summoning from thin air.
It vanished from near my crushed hand and reappeared in my other one. I thrust up quickly, jabbing it into her thigh with a sharp click. Injected.
Her eyes widened, fury twisting her face. "What the? You little shit! What did you stick me with?!"
She roared, voice dropping to a dangerous growl, kicking me hard in the gut. The force sent me flying off the roof, crashing against the wall of the next building over.
Concrete crumbled, the wall breaking as I smashed through it into an empty office space, glass shattering, papers flying everywhere. I hit the floor rolling, body aching, coughing dust.
"System, how long till the sedative kicks in?" I rasped out loud, voice hoarse and desperate.
[EFFECT ONSET: APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES POST-INJECTION FOR FULL UNCONSCIOUSNESS.]
"Three minutes?" I spat the words, blood trickling from the corner of my mouth. "Curse you, System!" I screamed.
Mirko leaped across the gap, crashing through the broken wall like it was nothing. Her thighs flexed with raw power, propelling her straight toward me.
"You think some weak junk like that will stop me?!"
"I'm gonna crush your sorry hide before whatever you jammed in me even starts to work!"
Her red eyes burned with irritation, but a quick flash of surprise hit when I forced myself back to my feet, bloodied and refusing to quit. Her grin twisted tighter, sharp and feral.
As if she was thinking, How's this creep still standing?
She charged without missing a beat, fists and kicks exploding in a brutal storm.
Every strike was fast and savage, taunting with every breath, but that tiny edge of annoyance showed. She wasn't used to targets that just wouldn't break.
She came at me harder, punches and kicks flying in a storm. I tried to dodge, block with my boosted arms, but no luck. She was too fast, too strong.
A fist to my side sent me staggering, another kick flipped me into a desk, wood splintering. "Quick as a rabbit, stay down, creep!" she taunted, but her brows furrowed, annoyed at my resilience.
I kept getting up, bruises healing just enough, swinging back wildly but hitting air.
The fight spilled out as she kicked me through another window. I crashed down to the street level, landing in the middle of the crowd with a thud.
People screamed, scattering. "Oh god, he's naked!" "What the hell, run!"
Phones were out, filming the chaos, laughter and panic mixing as the "naked freak" got beaten in public.
Mirko landed nearby, hesitating for a split second. "Get back, everyone! This perv's mine, stay clear!" she yelled, charging again without stopping.
Her aggressive nature winning but keeping the fight focused to avoid hurting bystanders.
She pummeled me relentlessly, sending me skidding across pavement, crashing into a streetlamp that bent with a groan.
"Hope you're ready for me to kick your butt!" she barked, but her voice had an edge now, frustrated at how I kept rising, bloodied but boosted.
I tried to punch, block, but got flung into a shop window, glass raining down. Crowd gasped: "He's getting destroyed!" "Naked guy's tough, though!"
As the minutes ticked, the sedative started hitting her. She slowed mid-punch, breath hitching.
"What... the hell? Feelin'... off..."
Her kicks lost power; I sidestepped, finally landing a boosted punch to her side. She grunted, staggering.
Now on equal footing, I fought back, punch for punch, her fist slamming my shoulder, my kick grazing her leg.
Blows landed hard, her sending me reeling, me pushing her back against a car.
She soon started to slow more, sleepy haze in her eyes. "Damn... you... won't... win..."
I used all my strength for one final punch, sending her flying into a billboard. She crashed through, crumpling to the ground, eyes closing as she fell asleep, body limp.
I stood there, panting, beaten but victorious, as the crowd stared in shock.
***
Personally, I'm very close to dropping this novel since it's just not that popular... but I'll still write the Mirko training part.