Where the hell did you learn to fight like that? No way that was just the combat skill. Nick grabbed several cheap beers from the fridge, placed the bottle neck against the counter and then thought better of it, hunting through the drawers until he found an absurdly over-complicated bottle-opener.
It looked like judo to . Jinny comnted. She was leaning against the counter, close to Nick but positioned slightly away from him. He crossed easily into her personal space, handing her one. I blinked, nurous things clicking in my mind: the shared scent of perfu, the easy camaraderie between them.
Nick really did move fast.
Jinny continued, When you werent throwing things or bothering tables, anyway. My uncle had a studio, or dojo, or whatever you call it.
I took lessons as a kid. Guess so of it stuck. I squeezed past Nick, opening the freezer and searching through it until I found a package of frozen peas. Carefully, I wrapped them in a towel and brought it back out to the living room.
Sae was lying on the couch, blanket over her face. I pulled it back. She squinted at the sudden brightness and groaned, until I gently placed the bag of peas on her forehead. Her grumbling was cut off by a shiver and sigh of relief. The health potion was helping with the swelling and bruising, but her nose was still a ss.
That was the martial art of hitting Sae in the face. A lot. Sae said indignantly, her tone stuffy and nasal from the still-healing damage. Then, a second later. Thanks for the ice.
On that note. Was that Wing Chun? I asked.
Sae opened a single eye and peered at suspiciously. Because Im asian?
All my social nerves seed to co back at once. Uh. I an. I know it's Chinese, and youre not. Just recognized it.
From the secret fight club youve been running? Nick called from the kitchen.
I fuckin saw Ip Man a few tis, okay? I snapped back at him. Jinny and Nick both snickered.
Too loud. Sae groaned. And I liked how it looked. Picked it up for cardio.
Fair enough, I said.
Give the blanket back.
Careful not to touch her, I pulled the blanket back over her head.
Matt, you want a beer? Jinny asked. I heard Nick whisper sothing, then Jinny spoke again. Or uh, water?
I rolled my eyes at Nicks mothering. Water would be great, thanks.
Sudden movent caught my eye when I returned to the kitchen. Jinny and Nicks hands returning to their sides.
They were holding hands.
It was tempting to tease Nick, but realistically, it would probably embarrass Jinny more than him, so I held my tongue on that.
Nick pulled up a stool beside .
Alright, out with it, I said.
Out with what? Nick asked.
The reason you guys decided to throw into the deep end, despite my only having a class for a day?
Jinny and Nick both looked over to where Sae was, sprawled out on the couch.
We uh Nick trailed off.
We ran into a problem. Jinny explained. There was a fourth mber before you. Hunter type nad Randall. He talked a big ga, but when we started clearing the area around the Trial
Dude went full Apocalypse Now, Nick said, mouth tight. Just completely lost it. Pissed himself. Eventually, he accidentally shot Sae in the back with an arrow and ran off.
Jinny lowered her voice to whisper level. I was against testing you. Nick was too. But Sae insisted. Since we dont really have a lot of ti, she wanted to make sure you werent going to imdiately lose it.
I nodded, understanding. And then I smashed her face into the table.
Nick grinned. I was just going to watch, pull Sae away once she got her gut check, but after that? I wanted to get a little action too.
I snorted. And the level differential? Im level 3 still, and Im guessing the two of you are significantly higher.
Nick took a swig of beer. So, from my extensive information gathering
Jinny rolled her eyes. You an calling everyone you know and asking questions.
Like I said, information gathering. Nick confird. Levels seem to operate in terms of breakpoints. You put a few points in Strength right? You had to.
A few, I confird, keeping my deception as close to the truth as possible. Before I realized the stat points were going to slow down.
Nick winced. Probably should have ntioned that, my bad. Point being, a few points didnt make you a bodybuilder, right?
I shrugged. More muscle definition, slightly easier to lift things. Nothing extre though.
Right. Nick nodded. Just like a few points in Intelligence doesnt make you a genius. Ive been mainlining Strength, throwing a few points here and there towards Agility and Toughness. The first few he squinted at . Youre going to make fun of if I say gains, arent you?
One hundred percent.
The first few advances were significant, but after a certain point I started to see diminishing returns. Which really put a dent in my plans to eventually throw cars at dragons.
I glanced at him, then to Jinny, suddenly concerned. Have either of you actually seen a dragon?
Jinny shook her head, her face serious. No. I keep telling him to stop tempting fate.
If theres going to be dragons, theres going to be dragons, and talking about them isnt going to matter, Nick interrupted. Anyway. A friend of mine told he was experiencing sothing similar until he hit Level 10.
My mind tripped over itself. How the fuck were people already that high? Id been pushing myself to the brink without a party to share the experience with. Still, I couldnt comnt anything to that effect without drawing suspicion.
Uh. Is that common? Feels like Im starting on one hell of a back foot at three.
Nick chuckled. No. Im Level 6, Sae and Jinny just hit 5. Dude was a monster long before the teor, total grinder. What he told was that sothing happens at Level 10. He was cagey on the details, but he basically encouraged to keep putting points in strength.
I considered that. Definitely sounds like a breakpoint of so kind.
Jinny hopped down from the counter and walked around the center island, tossing her empty into the blue recycling bin. What I cant understand is why?
Could be a few different reasons. I mused aloud. Might be intended to keep us from out-leveling or dominating quest content too quickly. Could be to keep the gulf between Users from widening too quickly, keep us all on a semi-even playing field.
Nick pointed at . See, that last part was my assumption as well.
Still, even if stats couldnt carry a User, I knew all too well that a single perk used correctly could make a massive difference. There are bigger problems. I looked at Nick. Did you ntion to anyone else that you could turn an NPC into a User? Anyone who might have sold that information to another group?
You, the team, and no one else. Nick said, his brow furrowed. Hell, the only ti Id even ntioned it in public was at that Turkish place.
Randall Jinny started.
Was an idiot, but I dont think hed do that. Nick shook his head.
It was totally him, Sae called from the other room, her nose sounding fully plugged.
It had to be, Jinny said, exasperated.
I certainly hoped it was. Nick hadnt realized it yet, but if it wasnt their previous fourth, and hed really been as careful as he claid, then it was almost guaranteed that soone in this room was leaking information.
The upside is, no one even attempted to follow . So theyre probably just scouting you. Looking to bolster their ranks with soone who can award User status to preferred civilians. I said.
Theyre going to be real disappointed when they find out I can only do it for one person at a ti, Nick grumbled.
I pressed my lips tight, considering the situation. We might be coming at this wrong. The ability to create a new User is invaluable, yes, but if theyre actually looking to recruit you, it could have sothing to do with your class itself. They might know sothing we dont.
Maybe, Nick admitted, then his eyes glazed over as he navigated his nus. Currently, were on a titable. I feel it would be better not to leave that Trial for after whatever happens when that tir ticks down, in case we need the XP. Moreover, I think its best for us to have so cushion ti for recovery if things go sideways.
Okay. Thats not a lot of ti to spare. So, now what? I asked.
Now, we review abilities and figure out how you fit in with the team. Nick strode to the glass door, and gave a sour look. Away from anything fragile.
There was a rustle of fabric and a groan as Sae removed the blanket and rose to her feet. I followed Nick into the backyard, content to let him take the lead for the ti being. His group had an established dynamic, and so far, there was no reason for to ss with it.
I was dying to learn more about User abilities in general apart from my own.
And I needed as much information about Nicks class as I could get, to get a tric for how much shit hed gotten into.
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