Chapter 9: Saturday Training at Rock Creek
POV: Zai
Saturday night was perfect for this.
No school. No distractions. Just me, the fresh air of Rock Creek Park, and the soft glow of street lamps shining through the trees.
Dad was working his airport shift, lifting bags until tomorrow afternoon, so the house was all mine.
I'd spent the day thinking about my skills, reading their descriptions again and again. But now, it was time to test them out—feel them in action.
I stood near the wide, open clearing, cool grass under my sneakers. The city noises faded, replaced by crickets and distant footsteps.
First up: Basic Punch (Smash Variant).
I bunched my fist and threw a direct punch into the air. The punch produced a mild shockwave, just enough to dislodge a leaf from a tree.
The system description came up:
"Basic melee attack with stronger knockback. Quick recovery."
I tried it again, faster this time, and was able to feel my arm shift over more smoothly, harder than normal.
Next: Short Dodge Roll.
I rolled to the side a few steps and bolted forward. The motion was slick, quick, and for a moment, I felt invincible—frames sliding effortlessly into action.
A red blur followed my roll, leaving behind a trail like the tail of a comet.
Parry (Frame-Perfect).
I kept my guard up, then threw a quick jab at an imaginary opponent. At the point just prior to "impact," I entered the parry.
The system responded:
"Perfect timing destroys damage and stuns opponent."
The faint blue light throbbed on my fist at parry. It was as if warping time for a moment.
System Scan (Lv. 1).
I turned it on, and my eyes changed.
Faint outlines and numbers hovered over the barely perceptible joggers in the park: stamina levels, movement speed, threat levels.
Green and a couple of oranges, no reds. I could literally see data on everyone within my vicinity.
Falcon Dash (Lv. 1).
I sprinted in full speed and blasted forward in a split second, the ground blurring by beneath me.
The air cracked with power, and I slammed into a large tree trunk beside me. It creaked but failed to splinter.
Fireball Throw (Mario Variant).
I clenched my fists, and a tiny fireball of flame burst on my palm.
I flung it at a pile of leaves. They caught on fire with a gentle pop and died out after a couple of seconds.
Needle Shot (Sheik Variant).
I shot a series of small glowing needles into the air, where they capered like fireflies before vanishing.
The system text said: "Low damage, rapid fire, good for spacing."
Charge Shot (Samus – Condensed Variant).
I concentrated, charging for two seconds.
I discharged a small energy blast that hit an adjacent boulder and left a shallow burn mark.
KO Counter (Little Mac – Light Read).
I threw a fake heavy hit, then initiated the counter at the last possible moment it would have landed.
Blue light burst out around me as I flipped the "attack" back, but much less drastically since it was practice.
Egg Shield (Yoshi – Single Use).
I shouted out a pale pastel ball that enveloped me in a bubble.
A gust of wind pushed me back, but the shield kept me safe.
It popped with a nice sonic blast.
Quick Zap (Pikachu Variant).
I fired a short electrical blast at a tree trunk. It crackled loudly, with smoke rising from the bark.
Paint Dash (Inkling Variant).
I slid across the lawn, creating a greasy, slick trail behind.
The ground glowed gently, like wet paint. If someone stepped on it, they'd fall.
Aura Vision (Lucario Passive).
I turned it on and off between front and back, watching the soft red edges flash on random squirrels and a distant raccoon.
After testing out all of the abilities, I sat down on a rock, puffing hard but smiling.
It was nuts. I was nuts.
A kid with a scheme, honing his skills in Rock Creek Park at midnight, unstoppable.
And then tomorrow? I would handle whatever came tomorrow.
Because this was merely the beginning.