11-29-2016, 08:31 AM
Hiro winced in pain as the Sage kung-fu'd his tanto right into his hamstring, then smacked it out of his hand. This wasn't how this should go! The guy had aged decades in a few seconds and was suddenly stronger? Maybe people from his world worked like that, getting more powerful with age, but Hiro had another, more impressive method. He'd show the old scribe what a power up -should- look like...as soon as he got clear of that fricken' staff.
"Oof!"
The hacker bent forward as another blow caught him in the solar plexus, and the follow up cracked him under the chin and sent him literally flying backwards. "Experience triumphs in matters such as these, oh dog of the Emperor." The Sage quipped, barely breaking a sweat as he prodded and poked at the prone pursuer. "Do you yield, to return in shame?"
Hiro shook his head and thumbed a button on his still smoking wristcomp. "Nope. Not yet." His form blurred and he zipped backwards, using his burst speed to scoot away from the Sage. Retreating into a side alley, he kicked his heels together and leapt up the wall of one of the buildings, crouching low and keeping out of the Sage's sightline, working quickly as he ejected the melted databoard from his computer and slotted in a new one. His display lit up once more, and the update flashed across his goggles - FULL FUNCTION RESTORED.
The hacker snuck a look over the side of the building to see the Sage starting to climb up the building across the street, surprisingly nimble for his advanced age. Hiro swore, and looked down as his sheathed katana, the light on the sheath blinking green. Reforged. Excellent.
He input a series of commands in his wrist device, his goggles overlaying a tactical readout on his vision, locking onto the Sage and analyzing his gait, bodily structure, movement, and patterns. "Are you afraid of me, bounty hunter?" The Sage called across the street from his own building, sounding bemused.
The hacker-ronin stood up, sheathing his remaining tanto as they faced off across the gap between buildings. "I'm not afraid of much anymore, oh Sage. And I have a name. It's Hiro. Hiro Protagonist." He gripped his katana hilt with his left hand, and felt his previous command activate, wreathing him in digital fire and lines of code, forming an impressive overlay of samurai armor made out of green mesh. Although it felt different this time, not the rush and mad adrenaline of his first usage of the power. More controlled, more refined. The green slowly changed to blue, the armor crackling with lines of power that sparked and spat.
Hiro extended his free hand, pointing at his opponent. "Woo! Oh, man! You ever power up so hard you feel like you gained a level?" The Sage just stared at him, and reached behind him for his bolas, starting to twirl them around his head. Hand atill gripping his katana, stock still, Hiro focused on the highlighted part of the old man in his goggles, gritting his teeth and the electricity surge through his blade.
The old man let the bolas fly after a few more seconds and just as they were three feet from Hiro's face, the hacker disappeared. Completely, the only trace of his presence a fading blue line that went right through the Sage and led twenty feet behind him. The hacker's sword was out, dripping extended, the cyber samurai panting as the Sage turned to face him. "I believe you missed, bo- HURGH!"
A spray of blood erupted from the old man's chest.
"Oof!"
The hacker bent forward as another blow caught him in the solar plexus, and the follow up cracked him under the chin and sent him literally flying backwards. "Experience triumphs in matters such as these, oh dog of the Emperor." The Sage quipped, barely breaking a sweat as he prodded and poked at the prone pursuer. "Do you yield, to return in shame?"
Hiro shook his head and thumbed a button on his still smoking wristcomp. "Nope. Not yet." His form blurred and he zipped backwards, using his burst speed to scoot away from the Sage. Retreating into a side alley, he kicked his heels together and leapt up the wall of one of the buildings, crouching low and keeping out of the Sage's sightline, working quickly as he ejected the melted databoard from his computer and slotted in a new one. His display lit up once more, and the update flashed across his goggles - FULL FUNCTION RESTORED.
The hacker snuck a look over the side of the building to see the Sage starting to climb up the building across the street, surprisingly nimble for his advanced age. Hiro swore, and looked down as his sheathed katana, the light on the sheath blinking green. Reforged. Excellent.
He input a series of commands in his wrist device, his goggles overlaying a tactical readout on his vision, locking onto the Sage and analyzing his gait, bodily structure, movement, and patterns. "Are you afraid of me, bounty hunter?" The Sage called across the street from his own building, sounding bemused.
The hacker-ronin stood up, sheathing his remaining tanto as they faced off across the gap between buildings. "I'm not afraid of much anymore, oh Sage. And I have a name. It's Hiro. Hiro Protagonist." He gripped his katana hilt with his left hand, and felt his previous command activate, wreathing him in digital fire and lines of code, forming an impressive overlay of samurai armor made out of green mesh. Although it felt different this time, not the rush and mad adrenaline of his first usage of the power. More controlled, more refined. The green slowly changed to blue, the armor crackling with lines of power that sparked and spat.
Hiro extended his free hand, pointing at his opponent. "Woo! Oh, man! You ever power up so hard you feel like you gained a level?" The Sage just stared at him, and reached behind him for his bolas, starting to twirl them around his head. Hand atill gripping his katana, stock still, Hiro focused on the highlighted part of the old man in his goggles, gritting his teeth and the electricity surge through his blade.
The old man let the bolas fly after a few more seconds and just as they were three feet from Hiro's face, the hacker disappeared. Completely, the only trace of his presence a fading blue line that went right through the Sage and led twenty feet behind him. The hacker's sword was out, dripping extended, the cyber samurai panting as the Sage turned to face him. "I believe you missed, bo- HURGH!"
A spray of blood erupted from the old man's chest.
Quote:Woo! 619 words, I couldn't cut any more out without losing some impact.
Hiro used Power- Up: Ronin of the Metaverse (2 SP, still active next turn. 0/3 SP remaining.)
Hiro used Yojimbo Style: The Cinematic
Bring it home for round three!
![[Image: MZSDl2O.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/MZSDl2O.jpg)