Putting Theory Into Practice

As I make a circuit around the entire campus, I notice that there is a small group of arguing men gathered in front of the boy's dorm. And those men don't look like they have any business here. Dressed in cheap suits and smoking cigarettes, they look like the kind of shady characters you don't want to meet in a dark alley.

"What's going on there?" I ask The Voice.

The Voice pauses for a moment before replying, "Trouble. But nothing to do with us. Carry on with your walk Transmigator."

I am about to take The Voice's advise when I see a familiar figure looking out of one of the dorm's windows. I squint and confirm my suspicions. Its the Hero.

"You sure about that trouble not being our problem?" I ask The Voice, "because it looks to me that the Hero is somehow involved."

The Voice this time takes almost a full minute to respond, and when it does, its tone is unsure, "Everything I have before me indicates that this incident is not part of a crisis orchestrated by Fate. It may as well be an event that although involves the Hero, does not affect the ultimate outcome of his destiny. However, you raise a good point Transmigrator. There may be more than meets the eye here."

"Then as a responsible member of the staff, I shall investigate this matter. After all, it concerns the well-being of the Academy's students." I whisper to The Voice as I begin creeping up on the group of thugs.

...

"No, we should just leave. Young master told us that he would handle it himself." One of the thugs protests just as I reach hearing range.

Examining the group of 4 thugs, I notice that three of them, two humans and one scaly skinned demon, have no spiritual field. These guys however have tried to make up for their lack of magic by engaging in the time honored practice of steroid abuse. I can see that underneath the cheap suits, their bodies are hard with corded muscle and their bodies have grown way bigger than any normal person could have.

The fourth guy however, both sparkles like an angel and exudes a nimbus of energy of what I consider average strength. He does not bother with wearing a shirt underneath his coat and proudly shows off his abs to the world.

"All three races on the same team, looks like the whole unity business is working out nicely." I murmur.

"The pin on their jackets," The Voice responds, "Matsui crime family enforcers. All the way from the Six Trees District."

I take a closer look at the pins The Voice was referring to. At this range, I can't make it out clearly, but it certainly looks similar to the pin Delinquent was wearing earlier today.

Abs Angel snarls and makes a cutting motion with his hand, "You guys want to trouble young master with this? That girl messes things up for the family, refuses to pay proper respect to young master and now cowers behind a busybody. Young master is bound by his honor to treat the busybody with a minimum of respect, when that bastard is not worth the dirt on young master's shoes."

The other thugs seem to agree with this statement and nod hesitantly.

Abs Angel continues, "If young master cannot take action, then we will bear the dishonor for him. For the sake of the family, its the least we can do."

This time, the other thugs begin to nod more enthusiastically. If this goes on, the group is likely to march upstairs and confront the Hero.

"Hey. What are the Hero's chances against this lot?" I ask The Voice.

"Good. The Hero is currently being accompanied by one of the Heroines. This mob is no match for their combined strength." The Voice responds.

So The Voice's initial appraisal was right. What's happening is not some crisis event, but just another day in the life of the Hero. Still, if the stakes are this low, it gives me an idea.

"If I intervene, the Hero would not leave the area right?" I ask The Voice.

"No, I do not believe so. What are you planning to do Transmigrator?" The Voice dubiously asks.

"The best time to practice is when there is a safety net available." I say as I walk openly towards the group.

....

I cast my mind back to The Voice's lectures after it had completed enhancing me.

As my power is part of this world, activating the core will mean that you can no longer hide behind your alien nature. Any natives nearby will immediately notice you.

I signal the core to activate. A familiar warmth bursts from my chest and spreads throughout my body. My senses immediately become more sensitive and I feel a surge of strength throughout my body. At the same time, the group of thugs immediately turn to face me with surprised expressions.

As time is of the essence, I am not able to properly train you in combat. Thankfully, Fate already believes that you are an experienced killer, so that allows me to impart a thorough knowledge of physical combat as part of your power set. You will have an instinctive sense of how to best deploy that knowledge based on the choices you make in battle. Any techniques you employ will also be executed at their theoretical maximum effectiveness. Nevertheless, this ability will not protect you from bad judgment on your own part.

As the thugs glower at me, I flex my experimentally and feel the core's power infuse my muscles. The thugs tense and begin shifting into a combat stance.

"Get lost." Abs Angel tells me.

I grin, "You are the ones trespassing here. And I don't think that you are the students' relatives."

The four thugs look at each other and begin advancing on me.

The sliver of power I have granted you is the closest to infinity that you will ever reach. When you fight, you do not need to fear physical exhaustion. Nor do you need to fear the source of your magic running dry.

The two human thugs charge at me with their fists raised. I easily see through their clumsy feints and dodge their attacks. They charge at me once more, this time in a pincer movement. I snort derisively and somersault over their attempt at trapping me. Compared to my enhanced speed and agility, these guys might as well be tortoises. No wonder Eagle Claw had such an easy time dealing with me.

I have also shared with you my ability to sense matter. It is heavily diluted as your mind would not be able to bear the strain of processing so much information, but it will allow you to keep track of an item you are focusing on or your opponents in the immediate vicinity. Unless your enemies have chosen to fight completely nude. I will let you know once I have resolved this weakness.

I sense scales guy approaching me from the rear. I dart forward before turning around, causing him to flail helplessly at my shadow. I smile. While I know that these powers are likely on the low end of the scale, I can't help but feel elated. At last, I have the ability to defend myself. I am no longer the smallest fish in the pond.

While you will never tire, Mr Gallant's body suffers damage from the use of my power with every move you take. Allow it to accrue too much damage, and it will spectacularly tear itself apart. Economy and efficiency must be your mantra if you wish to survive for long.

As scales guy regains his composure and moves towards me again, I step forward and lash out with the ball of my right foot straight to his chin. The blow connects cleanly and scales guy is rocketed off his feet and lands in a heap. I turn to face the pair of humans trying to rush me as a duo again. This time I do not dodge, Instead I bolt straight at them and deliver a double clothesline that sends the pair spinning in the air before face planting on the ground.

I glare at Abs Angel from the corner of my eye and ask, "Still want to do this the hard way?"

Abs Angel snorts and dramatically throws off his jacket, showing off the entirety of his muscled physique to the world. I roll my eyes. Nice try at intimidation man, no homo.

Abs Angel's nimbus suddenly flares and a pair of golden wings sprout from his back. The wings draw the power of the nimbus into themselves and as my eyes widen at the sight, Abs Angel briskly flaps his wings once in my direction, releasing the energy from the nimbus in a shock wave. I have no time to react. Abs Angel moves much faster than those three other guys. The shock wave hits me square in the chest and I am sent flying backwards.

As matter is eternal, so long as Mr Gallant's body is not destroyed by my power itself, it too shall stand eternal against all other dangers. There is no force in this world that can pierce your flesh or break your bones. Of course, there is a price to be paid for this boon. The greater the harm, the more you must drink from the core in order to resist it, with all the dangers it entails.

I flip back up to my feet snarling. My entire body tingles with the sensation of pins and needles. Is that the sensation of the damage being done to Gallant's body? Looks like I have to get serious here.

As you had left no traces of your spirituality upon killing the guards at the warehouse, I can allow you to use your powers without the need to deploy the spiritual nimbus. However, should you choose to deploy the spiritual nimbus like a regular mage, you will find that the amount of power from the core that you can channel will increase several fold, with a corresponding increase to the damage inflicted on Mr Gallant's body of course.

I signal the core to increase its output and flare my spiritual nimbus. If Abs Angel wants to use special abilities, then lets see whose are better huh? A burning sensation blasts through my veins as I focus the core on Abs Angel, slamming waves of my spirituality against him.

Abs Angel's movements suddenly lock up and a look of panic crosses his face. Its exactly like what happened to me at the warehouse. So this is what its like to suppress someone with your spirituality. I grin hungrily. I have been waiting for this moment.

"The Greedy Wolf Pounces."

My body blurs towards Abs Angel while he is still struggling against the hold of my spirituality. I grab one of Abs Angel's wings with both hands and give it a hard pull. With a sick ripping sound and the spraying of blood, the entire wing disconnects. The spell that I had cast is immediately broken and Abs Angel staggers backwards, howling like a wounded beast.

Your experience at the warehouse has given you an affinity at striking down the vulnerable. When you focus your attention on a vulnerable opponent, you will be able to sense the locations you can strike to inflict critical damage.

Without missing a beat, my foot drives remorselessly into Abs Angel's crotch. It hits with a wet thump and a bloody stain starts to spread across Abs Angel's trousers. He starts foaming in the mouth before collapsing to the ground unconscious.

I turn to regard the other three thugs and they immediately drop to their knees begging for mercy.

Its over. I have won.

I have won!

I cut the power from the core and grimace as soreness spreads over my whole body. My arms feel like they are about to pop out of their sockets. Well, the powers certainly do what they were advertised to do. The Voice was not bullshitting me on that at least.

Then I realize something.

There are three students standing slack jawed at the entrance of the dorm watching my entire performance.

Shit.