Chapter 13: The abyss order
Suddenly, Turles vanished. The illusions dissipated into thin air, and the tension grew unbearable. Kyle's eyes searched wildly for his opponent, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Then, out of nowhere, a fist smashed into his jaw, sending him hurtling through the air towards a jagged rock formation. The impact was like a sledgehammer to the chest, and he felt his HP bar plummet to a terrifying 10%. The world spun around him, colors blurring into a whirlwind of pain and anger.
As he lay there, dazed and bloodied, Rina's voice cut through the fog in his mind. "You okay, Kyle?" she called out, her eyes scanning for any sign of the real Turles.
Kyle managed a pained nod, pushing himself back to his feet. But before he could even catch his breath, he saw Rina's figure waver. Turles had appeared behind her, his fist glowing with malicious energy. With a swift kick that seemed to split the air, Rina went flying. Her body slammed into the ground, her HP bar plummeting to a mere 5%. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she went limp.
The crowd of spectators gasped in shock, their excitement turning to horror. The Abyss Order's leader had gone too far, attacking a defenseless player. But Kyle's rage was like a switch thrown. His eyes narrowed into a fierce glare as he charged at Turles, his bruised body screaming in protest.
"You think I need to cheat to win?" Kyle roared, his voice echoing through the training grounds. "You're just a coward hiding behind tricks!"
Turles chuckled, a smug smirk playing on his lips. "The Abyss Order offers power beyond your wildest dreams, Kyle. All you need to do is embrace it and eat the Great Fruit of Might. Then, you could stand a chance against me without relying on cheap gimmicks like that scouter and your stolen power-ups!"
Kyle's eyes widened with anger at the mention of his powers. "I'll never join you!" he spat, his fists clenching at his sides.
Turles looked down at Kyle and spat in his face and says "suit yourself trash,I'll be waiting for you to change your mind low class ape" and teleported away leaving Kyle and Rina alone.
Kyle took a moment to catch his breath, his heart racing as he helped Rina to her feet. Despite his injuries, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. He had faced the leader of the Abyss Order and lived to tell the tale. But the battle had also shown him just how much he still had to learn. The power-ups he'd cheated his way to obtain had only gotten him so far. Now, it was time to truly master his Saiyan abilities and become a warrior worthy of his new identity.
Rina looked up at him, her emerald eyes gleaming with a mix of admiration and determination. Despite her bruised ego from their earlier encounter, she couldn't deny the respect she had for Kyle's unyielding spirit. He'd proven himself to be more than just a brash human turned Saiyan. He had the makings of a true fighter.
"You know, Kyle, you're not so bad for a low-class Saiyan," she said, a hint of playfulness in her voice.
Kyle grinned, wiping the dirt from his face. "Thanks, I think?"
Rina chuckled and offered a hand to help him up. "I didn't say it to flatter you. Just stating a fact. You've got potential. And if we stick together, maybe we can both reach it."
Kyle took her hand, feeling the electricity of their combined power surge through him. He nodded, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "You're on. Let's do this together. We're both level 6, so we can grow stronger as we tackle these missions. Besides, it'll be nice to have someone to grow with."
As they stood, Kyle reached into his inventory and pulled out one of the medical healing pills the wheel had given him earlier. He tossed it into his mouth, feeling the warm energy surge through his body. His health points jumped up to 90%, the pain from the battle with Turles fading away. He offered another pill to Rina, who eyed it curiously before popping it in her mouth. Her eyes widened in surprise as her own health points climbed to 89%.
"Thanks, Kyle," she said, dusting herself off. "I was all out of healing items. You saved me."
Kyle nodded, still feeling the rush of adrenaline from the fight. "No problem. I've got plenty to spare." He pulled out a few more pills, tossing them to Rina. "Here, take these."
Rina caught them with a flick of her wrist, her eyes gleaming with a mix of gratitude and skepticism. "But why? You just used one yourself."
"Because, Rina, we don't know what's waiting for us out there." Kyle looked into the horizon, where the setting sun painted the sky with strokes of red and orange. "We need to be prepared for anything. And sometimes, the biggest battles are the ones we least expect." He paused, his gaze returning to her. "Keep them on you. You never know when you might need them more than I do."
Just as the tension between them began to ease, a familiar figure emerged from the shadows, sauntering over with an all-too-familiar smirk. "Well, well, if it isn't the cheat code warrior," Bra said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Kyle's jaw tightened at her taunts. "I've learned my lesson," he replied firmly. "No more shortcuts."
"Oh, so you're admitting defeat?" Bra raised an eyebrow, amusement glinting in her sharp eyes. "That's a first. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll find some other way to cheat your way to the top."
Rina rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Bra, seriously? You can't just go around saying stuff like that."
Bra's smirk never wavered. "What? It's the truth. I saw the whole thing. He's a glitch in the system, using cheats to play catch-up. And now he thinks he's hot shit because he beat a few low class players?"
Kyle felt his face flush with anger. "You're one to talk," he retorted. "You use your father's name to get what you want, and when you face a real challenge, you run back to Capsule Corp."
Bra's smile grew wider, revealing a set of white teeth. "So you're jealous? That's cute. You know, if you weren't such a noob, maybe I'd give you a shot at redemption. But let's be real, you're not even worth the effort."
Rina stepped between them, her voice calm but firm. "We're not here to fight among ourselves. We all have our ways of playing the game. Let's focus on growing stronger together."
"Fine," Bra said with a dramatic sigh. "But when you're ready to face a real challenge, come find me. Maybe I'll give you a chance to prove yourself." With that, she disappeared into the crowd, leaving Kyle and Rina to deal with the tension that had settled like a thick fog over them.
Their rivalry was palpable, a dance of ego and power that could either push Kyle to surpass his current limitations or break him. Kyle knew that the only way to silence her was to become stronger, to truly understand and embrace the Saiyan within him. The taste of defeat was still fresh in his mouth, and it fueled his determination. He turned to Rina, his eyes blazing with a newfound purpose.