Jul 29, 2024 16:57:11 GMT
Post by Liek on Jul 29, 2024 16:57:11 GMT
The Tri-Stars where regretting their decision to join the military. If all they had to deal with was normal procedures and training they wouldn’t be regretting their life choices, but as it happened it turned out they had drawn the short end of the stick of fate as their newly assigned commanding officer was completely insane, at least according to the members of the special forces unit. The twenty four enlisted men and women of the elite Tri-Stars unit where sweating like crazy while cursing the heavens as their CO forced them to train like none of them had ever imagined.
Weighted braces on their arms and legs weighed down their limbs while weighted vests made merely holding their bodies up a struggle. The combined weight of all the gear was more then they had any reason to expect to wear on a mission, and yet their CO had insisted they train with them on. To make matters even worse they where in full combat deployment gear, live ammo and everything.
It only served to drive home the serious gab between themselves and their CO as he seemingly jogged alongside them effortlessly, carrying none of the equipment, and yet paradoxically carrying more weight then all of them combined. The Lieutenant’s jacket alone weighed in the tons, something he’d demonstrated by allowing Corporal Watts to attempt to pick the darn thing up. The massive man nearly threw his back out on the attempt. And yet the scrawny looking teen could not only lift the thing like it was nothing but actively wore it as casual clothing.
It made the majority of the unit, of whom where older then the teen, rethink what they thought of their own strength. Add what they had witnessed at the rescue mission, the boy throwing energy attacks and punching through half-metre thick fortress doors with his bare hands, flying without any kind of technology and then tanking the blasts from the robot…
Yes, they cursed their luck with winding up with a CO like him that would make them do this kind of insane training. But it didn’t discourage them, not one bit. No, as each one looked at his back as they jogged they each remembered how he stood between them and certain death, the powerful energy beams shredding his clothes and scolding his skin.
Each had a reason for being there. Corporal Watts joined because he had always admired the military and wanted to enter despite his parent’s protests. Specialist Surge wanted to avoid a conviction and the medical benefits for her brother. Sergeant Garret came from a long line of enlisted soldiers. Sergeant Amaja had never grown out of being the tomboy out to prove she could keep up with the boys. But when they looked at Liek Galswith they all realised they had all been spinning their wheels when it come to what they could be, what they needed to be to protect the Earth. So instead of complaining they grit their teeth and kept moving, refusing to quit, no matter how much their bodies screamed, until he told them they could stop.
Some time later…
Liek tapped his arm while looking down at the twenty four members of the Tri-Stars, each and every one sprawled out on the ground groaning and panting heavily, faces red and sweat drenching their exposed skin. “I don’t know what you’re all complaining about.” He mused, “That was only a light jog for me!” He laughed while kneeling down to get a closer look at them all.
“You…” Surge gasped from the ground, “You’re…” She panted and groaned, every muscle in her body screaming in pain, “You’re a damn monster…” she wheezed, earning a laugh from the youth. Of all the Tri-Stars she was the only one who refused to address him by rank or honorifics. Something Liek had just allowed.
He knew he was supposed to scold her for it, but he couldn’t care less about some stuffy regulation like that. So she got a free pass as long as she kept up the proper respect for other officers it was fine right?
A voice spoke up from behind them, “What on Earth did you do to them?”
Standing up, recognising the voice instantly, Liek snapped off an Earth Forces salute to General Akubra. The Tri-Stars did their best to salute as well, groaning as their muscles protested at the effort, but the results where sloppy at best. The General merely laughed and waved it off, at least they tried despite the training from hell young Fury Knight was putting them through.
“Just some light jogging, General.” Liek explained casually.
Akubra raised an eyebrow, “Light?” He mused while looking at the groaning mass of special forces, “Hmm.” He scratched his chin and nodded, before adding cheerfully, “I’m sure you’ll wipe them into shape in no time, Lieutenant!” His words earn a whole orchestra of groans of dying hope.
Turning back to the young man the General began, “I have another job for you Liek, one I’d like for you to handle alone this time, we can’t send the whole platoon, we need this handled quickly and without raising too much attention.” At the young man’s nod he continued, “Good.” He pulled a file out of his coat and handed it to the youth while explaining, “Thieves have broken into the Royal Museum in West City and made off with priceless historical artefacts. We need you to go in and get them back.”
Flicking through the reports in the file the young man’s eyes landed on an interesting detail, “We already know where their hideout is? That makes things easier!”
Nodding in affirmation the General explained, “Aye, Stalker Team managed to keep a drone on their tail as they made their getaway. They’re good at intel gathering and coordinating with local authorities, but aren’t much good in a fight themselves.”
“So that’s why I’m on the job.” Liek stated with a nod. He saluted the General again before saying, “I’m on it sir!” He then turned to the Tri-Stars and said, “Alright everyone, dismissed!”
The radio in Liek’s ear crackled as he soared through the air, the rest of the Tri-Stars staying back at the base to recover from thebrutal light training they had been subjected to. He was a little sad with how much they where all struggling since the combined weight he had them lifting, before accounting for equipment was just fifty kilograms. He’d graduated past that before he was ten! And yet the grown humans of the Tri-Stars struggled with such weight? He sighed in exasperation.
“Alright Liek, you should be getting close to the hideout.” General Akubra’s voice came over the radio. For this mission the General was taking part on board an AWACs aircraft outfitted with Ultra High Definition cameras so he could monitor the situation directly. After all, this wasn’t like when Liek was a free agent. He actually needed oversight now.
“What do we know about them? Number and strength?” Liek asked.
“Six confirmed members.” The General replied, “Five low threat levels and one high.”
Threat levels where judged based on the average EDF soldier’s abilities. So a Normal threat was a military trained person with a firearm. High threats where ki wielders that typically required an entire platoon to handle alone. On that same curve Liek would be considered a Very High threat since he was strong enough to fight multiple High threats at once. Low threats where normal people with firearms, but none of the military training to actually make them dangerous, but it is assumed they know how to use the guns.
Very low threat level was reserved for people who where dangerous but as much of a hazard to themselves as anyone else. Like people with guns and no idea how to use them, but managed to turn the safety off, or have a grenade launcher and legitimately think pushing the sights as far as they would go would make the grenade fly further.
Liek still didn’t know much of anything about how guns worked, but even he realised they didn’t work that way.
“Motion around the hideout suggests at least two more, Threat level unknown.” The General continued. “The hideout is an old hunting lodge, local rangers have confirmed that it’s a single story building with three rooms, kitchen, lounge and bunks. So unless they’ve done some serious hidden earthworks there shouldn’t be any hidden rooms to worry about.” After a pause the General added, “Liek, once you’re down check your fire. Those artefacts are priceless pieces of Earth history. If even one is damaged or destroyed it would negatively impact public trust in the EDF.”
The youth look down at the forest as he zoomed over it, inhaling before replying, “Yes, sir. Read you loud and clear.” He saw a break in the trees and saw a small lodge.
“That’s it Liek!” The General informed, “Go get them!”
Instead of reacting verbally the teenager let his actions speak for him, his aura flaring before he accelerated towards the ground, leaving a sonic boom in his wake. One of the thieves, who was standing in front of a tree answering the call of nature didn’t even have time to hear the boom before Liek’s fist met his jaw, sending him spiralling into an unconscious heap. One foot touching the ground the youth formed two balls of Orgone before throwing them hard towards two other thieves who where only just reacting to the sound, hitting both in the face and knocking them out.
The door to the lodge was kicked open as two more thieves burst out and opened fire with their rifles. The gunfire didn’t last long as Liek dashed between the two and tore their guns from their hands and then, using the momentum, he spun around and clobbered both of them with their own guns, dropping them. Liek’s run of luck came to a swift end as a massive fist impacted his face and blew him away from the door.
Groaning on the ground the youth placed his hands on his face and checked his nose. Thankfully it wasn’t broken but damn did it hurt! Picking himself up and wiping the tears from his eyes he looked back at the doorway to see an absolutely massive person in a sundress pulling themselves through the door. Easily seven feet tall and made of muscles as large as Liek was, topped off with an ugly face, the person was intimidating just to look at.
And then they spoke with surprisingly high pitch.
“ME BETTY!” She(?) looked the teen up and down, “ME SMASH!!”
Liek went pale, “Please tell me you mean ‘fight.’” Then the giant roared and started charging at him and the teen whimpered, “I really hope she means ‘fight.’”
Not actually wanting to find out the young man evaded the first wild swing taken at him and then jumped over the second before grabbing a hold of the sundress and using it as leverage to swing himself around and drop his heel down on the back of Betty’s neck as hard as he could.
The blow earn a grunt and angry glare from Betty. She sneered at him and growled, “Hold still so Betty smash!”
“No thanks!” The teen cried before leaping away from the giant. Or, at least, he tried. But Betty caught his leg and slammed him into the ground.
And then she kept doing it, over and over. A total of sixteen times.
Liek whined from inside the crater, the bitter, coppery taste of blood in his mouth. He was fairly certain something in his ribs was either straight up broken or at least fractured, judging by the pain. And his leg was definitely messed up, not broken, wrong kind of pain, but definitely strained beyond it’s limits and maybe even dislocated.
Fear and anger boiled in the youth. Fear of whatever Betty may intend to do next, anger at being overtaken so easily! AGAIN!! Anger at these bastard thieves for taking what wasn’t theirs. So much boiling anger… and he snapped. For the first time in years all of his training to control his emotions cracked and slipped away and pure rage was unleashed.
Betty didn’t know what hit her. One moment the youth was flat on the ground, the next he wasn’t and there was blinding light coming from whatever had just punched her in the stomach. She then took a powerful upper cut to the jaw, snapping her head back in time for a pair of crystals to come in out of nowhere and slam into her windpipe, crushing it. Clutching her throat and gasping for breath that would not come she watched the glowing figure of Liek race off into the cabin.
The last two thieves stared up at the figure of Liek, fiery bright energy rising from his body as he approached them ominously. Both glanced at each other for a second before tossing away their weapons and holding up their hands, “We give up!” One said as the other nodded.
“Good.” Liek replied before rushing forward and delivering powerful punches to both. As the crumpled unconcious the youth collapsed into a chair and activated his radio, “Got them… injured… send the recovery team…” He said before the pain become too much and he passed out.
“Thank you once again, Liek.” The King of Earth stated from the side of the young man’s hospital bed. Considering the importance of the artefacts, and the fact the young man had risked life and limb for the sake of the Earth once again, the King had decided personally thanking the youth was appropriate. Thankfully he’d been talked out of thanking him at another public media event, so the youth didn’t have to worry about gaining any more fame or notoriety among the general public.
Discovering that fanclub had been weird enough. He didn’t want to make it bigger.
“No worries, your Majesty.” Liek replied with a grunt, still in a good deal of pain, “Just doing my job.”
“’Just doing his job’ he says!” The King laughed, “Thanks to you priceless parts of our history have been recovered! Why, losing those original reels of Boku no Pico would have been absolutely devastating for Earth’s cultural heritage! We may never have recovered!”
“...Wut?”
WC: 2444
PL: 38,084
Weighted PL: 9,521
Zenny: 5,282
Bonuses: Looters (-25% due to racial)
Super Heavy Weights 75% bonus
Pre-Workout Mix 10% Bonus
Quest Rewards: 20% Bonus to PL and Zenny for first 1500 words
Total Bonus: 105% Bonus to PL and 27.5% to Zenny for first 1500 words
Total Bonus: 85% Bonus to PL and 7.5% to Zenny after 1500 words
Notes: +1 Alignment for Returning the Artefacts
Weighted braces on their arms and legs weighed down their limbs while weighted vests made merely holding their bodies up a struggle. The combined weight of all the gear was more then they had any reason to expect to wear on a mission, and yet their CO had insisted they train with them on. To make matters even worse they where in full combat deployment gear, live ammo and everything.
It only served to drive home the serious gab between themselves and their CO as he seemingly jogged alongside them effortlessly, carrying none of the equipment, and yet paradoxically carrying more weight then all of them combined. The Lieutenant’s jacket alone weighed in the tons, something he’d demonstrated by allowing Corporal Watts to attempt to pick the darn thing up. The massive man nearly threw his back out on the attempt. And yet the scrawny looking teen could not only lift the thing like it was nothing but actively wore it as casual clothing.
It made the majority of the unit, of whom where older then the teen, rethink what they thought of their own strength. Add what they had witnessed at the rescue mission, the boy throwing energy attacks and punching through half-metre thick fortress doors with his bare hands, flying without any kind of technology and then tanking the blasts from the robot…
Yes, they cursed their luck with winding up with a CO like him that would make them do this kind of insane training. But it didn’t discourage them, not one bit. No, as each one looked at his back as they jogged they each remembered how he stood between them and certain death, the powerful energy beams shredding his clothes and scolding his skin.
Each had a reason for being there. Corporal Watts joined because he had always admired the military and wanted to enter despite his parent’s protests. Specialist Surge wanted to avoid a conviction and the medical benefits for her brother. Sergeant Garret came from a long line of enlisted soldiers. Sergeant Amaja had never grown out of being the tomboy out to prove she could keep up with the boys. But when they looked at Liek Galswith they all realised they had all been spinning their wheels when it come to what they could be, what they needed to be to protect the Earth. So instead of complaining they grit their teeth and kept moving, refusing to quit, no matter how much their bodies screamed, until he told them they could stop.
Some time later…
Liek tapped his arm while looking down at the twenty four members of the Tri-Stars, each and every one sprawled out on the ground groaning and panting heavily, faces red and sweat drenching their exposed skin. “I don’t know what you’re all complaining about.” He mused, “That was only a light jog for me!” He laughed while kneeling down to get a closer look at them all.
“You…” Surge gasped from the ground, “You’re…” She panted and groaned, every muscle in her body screaming in pain, “You’re a damn monster…” she wheezed, earning a laugh from the youth. Of all the Tri-Stars she was the only one who refused to address him by rank or honorifics. Something Liek had just allowed.
He knew he was supposed to scold her for it, but he couldn’t care less about some stuffy regulation like that. So she got a free pass as long as she kept up the proper respect for other officers it was fine right?
A voice spoke up from behind them, “What on Earth did you do to them?”
Standing up, recognising the voice instantly, Liek snapped off an Earth Forces salute to General Akubra. The Tri-Stars did their best to salute as well, groaning as their muscles protested at the effort, but the results where sloppy at best. The General merely laughed and waved it off, at least they tried despite the training from hell young Fury Knight was putting them through.
“Just some light jogging, General.” Liek explained casually.
Akubra raised an eyebrow, “Light?” He mused while looking at the groaning mass of special forces, “Hmm.” He scratched his chin and nodded, before adding cheerfully, “I’m sure you’ll wipe them into shape in no time, Lieutenant!” His words earn a whole orchestra of groans of dying hope.
Turning back to the young man the General began, “I have another job for you Liek, one I’d like for you to handle alone this time, we can’t send the whole platoon, we need this handled quickly and without raising too much attention.” At the young man’s nod he continued, “Good.” He pulled a file out of his coat and handed it to the youth while explaining, “Thieves have broken into the Royal Museum in West City and made off with priceless historical artefacts. We need you to go in and get them back.”
Flicking through the reports in the file the young man’s eyes landed on an interesting detail, “We already know where their hideout is? That makes things easier!”
Nodding in affirmation the General explained, “Aye, Stalker Team managed to keep a drone on their tail as they made their getaway. They’re good at intel gathering and coordinating with local authorities, but aren’t much good in a fight themselves.”
“So that’s why I’m on the job.” Liek stated with a nod. He saluted the General again before saying, “I’m on it sir!” He then turned to the Tri-Stars and said, “Alright everyone, dismissed!”
-----
The radio in Liek’s ear crackled as he soared through the air, the rest of the Tri-Stars staying back at the base to recover from the
“Alright Liek, you should be getting close to the hideout.” General Akubra’s voice came over the radio. For this mission the General was taking part on board an AWACs aircraft outfitted with Ultra High Definition cameras so he could monitor the situation directly. After all, this wasn’t like when Liek was a free agent. He actually needed oversight now.
“What do we know about them? Number and strength?” Liek asked.
“Six confirmed members.” The General replied, “Five low threat levels and one high.”
Threat levels where judged based on the average EDF soldier’s abilities. So a Normal threat was a military trained person with a firearm. High threats where ki wielders that typically required an entire platoon to handle alone. On that same curve Liek would be considered a Very High threat since he was strong enough to fight multiple High threats at once. Low threats where normal people with firearms, but none of the military training to actually make them dangerous, but it is assumed they know how to use the guns.
Very low threat level was reserved for people who where dangerous but as much of a hazard to themselves as anyone else. Like people with guns and no idea how to use them, but managed to turn the safety off, or have a grenade launcher and legitimately think pushing the sights as far as they would go would make the grenade fly further.
Liek still didn’t know much of anything about how guns worked, but even he realised they didn’t work that way.
“Motion around the hideout suggests at least two more, Threat level unknown.” The General continued. “The hideout is an old hunting lodge, local rangers have confirmed that it’s a single story building with three rooms, kitchen, lounge and bunks. So unless they’ve done some serious hidden earthworks there shouldn’t be any hidden rooms to worry about.” After a pause the General added, “Liek, once you’re down check your fire. Those artefacts are priceless pieces of Earth history. If even one is damaged or destroyed it would negatively impact public trust in the EDF.”
The youth look down at the forest as he zoomed over it, inhaling before replying, “Yes, sir. Read you loud and clear.” He saw a break in the trees and saw a small lodge.
“That’s it Liek!” The General informed, “Go get them!”
Instead of reacting verbally the teenager let his actions speak for him, his aura flaring before he accelerated towards the ground, leaving a sonic boom in his wake. One of the thieves, who was standing in front of a tree answering the call of nature didn’t even have time to hear the boom before Liek’s fist met his jaw, sending him spiralling into an unconscious heap. One foot touching the ground the youth formed two balls of Orgone before throwing them hard towards two other thieves who where only just reacting to the sound, hitting both in the face and knocking them out.
The door to the lodge was kicked open as two more thieves burst out and opened fire with their rifles. The gunfire didn’t last long as Liek dashed between the two and tore their guns from their hands and then, using the momentum, he spun around and clobbered both of them with their own guns, dropping them. Liek’s run of luck came to a swift end as a massive fist impacted his face and blew him away from the door.
Groaning on the ground the youth placed his hands on his face and checked his nose. Thankfully it wasn’t broken but damn did it hurt! Picking himself up and wiping the tears from his eyes he looked back at the doorway to see an absolutely massive person in a sundress pulling themselves through the door. Easily seven feet tall and made of muscles as large as Liek was, topped off with an ugly face, the person was intimidating just to look at.
And then they spoke with surprisingly high pitch.
“ME BETTY!” She(?) looked the teen up and down, “ME SMASH!!”
Liek went pale, “Please tell me you mean ‘fight.’” Then the giant roared and started charging at him and the teen whimpered, “I really hope she means ‘fight.’”
Not actually wanting to find out the young man evaded the first wild swing taken at him and then jumped over the second before grabbing a hold of the sundress and using it as leverage to swing himself around and drop his heel down on the back of Betty’s neck as hard as he could.
The blow earn a grunt and angry glare from Betty. She sneered at him and growled, “Hold still so Betty smash!”
“No thanks!” The teen cried before leaping away from the giant. Or, at least, he tried. But Betty caught his leg and slammed him into the ground.
And then she kept doing it, over and over. A total of sixteen times.
Liek whined from inside the crater, the bitter, coppery taste of blood in his mouth. He was fairly certain something in his ribs was either straight up broken or at least fractured, judging by the pain. And his leg was definitely messed up, not broken, wrong kind of pain, but definitely strained beyond it’s limits and maybe even dislocated.
Fear and anger boiled in the youth. Fear of whatever Betty may intend to do next, anger at being overtaken so easily! AGAIN!! Anger at these bastard thieves for taking what wasn’t theirs. So much boiling anger… and he snapped. For the first time in years all of his training to control his emotions cracked and slipped away and pure rage was unleashed.
Betty didn’t know what hit her. One moment the youth was flat on the ground, the next he wasn’t and there was blinding light coming from whatever had just punched her in the stomach. She then took a powerful upper cut to the jaw, snapping her head back in time for a pair of crystals to come in out of nowhere and slam into her windpipe, crushing it. Clutching her throat and gasping for breath that would not come she watched the glowing figure of Liek race off into the cabin.
The last two thieves stared up at the figure of Liek, fiery bright energy rising from his body as he approached them ominously. Both glanced at each other for a second before tossing away their weapons and holding up their hands, “We give up!” One said as the other nodded.
“Good.” Liek replied before rushing forward and delivering powerful punches to both. As the crumpled unconcious the youth collapsed into a chair and activated his radio, “Got them… injured… send the recovery team…” He said before the pain become too much and he passed out.
-----
“Thank you once again, Liek.” The King of Earth stated from the side of the young man’s hospital bed. Considering the importance of the artefacts, and the fact the young man had risked life and limb for the sake of the Earth once again, the King had decided personally thanking the youth was appropriate. Thankfully he’d been talked out of thanking him at another public media event, so the youth didn’t have to worry about gaining any more fame or notoriety among the general public.
Discovering that fanclub had been weird enough. He didn’t want to make it bigger.
“No worries, your Majesty.” Liek replied with a grunt, still in a good deal of pain, “Just doing my job.”
“’Just doing his job’ he says!” The King laughed, “Thanks to you priceless parts of our history have been recovered! Why, losing those original reels of Boku no Pico would have been absolutely devastating for Earth’s cultural heritage! We may never have recovered!”
“...Wut?”
WC: 2444
PL: 38,084
Weighted PL: 9,521
Zenny: 5,282
Bonuses: Looters (-25% due to racial)
Super Heavy Weights 75% bonus
Pre-Workout Mix 10% Bonus
Quest Rewards: 20% Bonus to PL and Zenny for first 1500 words
Total Bonus: 105% Bonus to PL and 27.5% to Zenny for first 1500 words
Total Bonus: 85% Bonus to PL and 7.5% to Zenny after 1500 words
Notes: +1 Alignment for Returning the Artefacts
