Work never ends
The holiday week was not as boring as you might think it would be.
As it is best to work early on, they meet at 9 am in the room.
The first day was mostly planning how to reach their goal and every step and idea.
They ended working at 4 pm. Having enough time to train, Ben went to his storehouse.
His friends weren't surprised by him taking another train than if he would go home.
He didn't inform them that he stopped Parkour, so they just thought he would meet with the other tracers. It was a perfect example, why you should go with the flow. Most things didn't need another lie, your circle of friends will misunderstand or turn a blind eye.
The main idea of dodging wasn't that difficult, but to simulate every possible attack, they tried many things. Swinging an axe, a bar, or a knife. Throwing a bar, a bottle, or a american football. Whipping a cord...
Everything was tried to be predicted and then calculated in a formula.
They made great use of Ama's friends. Not only did they help find a formula, they even made a complete simulation of the perfect dodging.
Ben never would have thought that they would achieve so much.
It wasn't finished, but it had most of the functions. He just had to add the dodging of grenades, flamethrower's flame, and shots. He didn't want his friends to become skeptical about why and where he found the information about these weapons.
On the weekend, he invited them for 2 hours of paintball to compensate them for their help in the project. He was quite happy about working together with his best friends, it may not be the funniest thing to do, but it had a greater meaning for Ben.
He received the confirmation of Efron that everything was arranged. He already made them sign a confidentiality agreement and just needed the formulas.
Ben had worked hard every day to remember every little detail of formulas he could produce.
He ended with 3 almost perfect formulas and sent them with the name's Ben knew them over.
The first one was named Treto SG-1, it increased strength and speed permanently for the price of one vitality per use. After the injection, you will feel your muscles burn like never before, but after that, there are no side effects except slower stat growth, which won't be important for Ben as he first planned to train to his limit and then take it. Like every enhancing drug, its stimulation is limited and it will only work 3 times.
The second one was named STON-AV, it increased the resistance stat by one, but without any vitality price and only had weak side effects like a loss of appetite or fatigue. Sadly, it could only be used for a resistance under 10 points and the dose would double after each usage.
The third one was named SIENA-P7, it could increase one strength stat for the price of one vitality stat. But the main reason for its popularity was a low chance of awakening a special skill named Overextending Energie.
(If you think that the skill doesn't sound cool, don't forget that scientists made them. —>send me a better name for future readers. Do you prefer Overdrive? ;)
It had the ability to make the mitochondria work 125% for an hour. After the hour, the production of ATP is halved for half an hour, which gives side effect like Muscle weakness, Learning disabilities, Vision and hearing problems
It had a cooldown of at least one day and is prolonged by short sleep or lack of nutrients.
There were other potions, but he had to think about what he needed for the calamity.
He knew of a strong potion named WUT.R9. It increased Strength, speed, and resistance, it even gave a special skill „Berserk", which increased strength and speed by 50% for 10 min, while the user has no conscience over his acts.
This potion comes at a high price, you lose Vitality and Intelligence after each injection.
This may not sound like a bad exchange, but the skill is only the peak of adrenalin dosage and after every use, you will experience strong tiredness.
Ben would always fight first with his head and if he has difficulties the adrenalin will be released and he will become stronger.
The loss of Intelligence might not sound bad as you can just learn it back, but studies found out that you lose small parts of your thinking process for exemple to recognize complex interrelationships. Many users of Berserk have also difficulty to remember memories, which is an even greater reason for Ben to not touch this potion.
He estimated that the successful production would only be done after a couple of months. Ben didn't give precise information of the dosage, so they would have to find out by testing.
As it was already late and Ben was dead-tired from paintball and then workout, Ben postponed the work of adding the war weapons in the dodge project to tomorrow.
....
On Monday, Ben went to school like always.
Nothing exceptional happened till the break.
Ben was talking with his friends over the paintball matches.
„Ben, you are a monster in Paintball. I mean maybe we should have fought you together." Amadeus said discontent about his losses.
„Yeah, what are your secret tips to play?" Alex asked curiously.
„Stay calm. Don't always shout when you attack and don't move every minute. Lastly, just try to aim a bit better." Ben answered sincerely.
Two other friends heard their discussion and joined in.
„You played paintball. Why wasn't I invited?" The friend said with contempt.
„Me too. I fought you were going to work." The second one said angrily.
„Olaf, I thought you wouldn't come because of your sick mother. Even you, Gregor, said something about not having time." Tobi rebuked, defending Ben.
„No need to become angry. It was me, who organized the paintball matches. After the week of working together, I wanted to thank the people who helped me. Sorry, if I didn't invite you." Ben said with a neutral voice. He wasn't angry about his friends not helping him. He could have invited them, they would just have to pay for themself.
A dispute can be always settled. All his friends were pretty peaceful people, as long as one said sorry, the dispute would end. It was in everyone's interest to not fight over just a paintball match.
Just at that moment, all his friends seemed to look behind Ben.
Realizing this, Ben turned back to his table desk.
Before him was Erika and just behind her, where the rest of her clique.
Seeing Ben looking at her intently, she said clear and loudly:
„Ben, would you like to go with me to the spring ball? I like you! After the ball, we could look if we had a chance as a couple."
The classroom stirred, the classmates were whispering to each other about how Ben would react. Even Ben's friends were surprised but didn't know what Ben would answer.
Erika was the depiction of a popular, sweet, and good looking girl. For class lessons, she always has one's face on. She is very active on popular social networks and has a youtube channel with over 180k subscribers.
On the other side, her interest in studying is extremely low, causing bad grades in almost every subject and lessons being disrupted by her.
Ben was in deep shock.
´How did it come to that? Is this a joke? I mean should I be proud of that? No! This is like an insult. In my last life, she saw me as a piece of shit. I wasn't on her level.
For her status is everything. The only relationship I know of is Sebastion, who is the best footballer in his club. But I know that she had at least 3 other relationships in her life.
In my last life, I was never the best in anything. And now she suddenly shows interest in me? For how stupid does you take me? Am I just a step for your popularity? The good guy, who is great in sport and has good grades.
We have nothing in common. The few things I know about you makes me already despise you. You stole money from your mother without feeling remorse to buy you new clothes. You are talking about climate changes, but your acts show that you don't care. Etc.
What would we talk about as a couple? Off-White. Gucci. Balenciaga. Nike.
Prada.
Or do we talk about stars? All this is what I despise!
She is just a superficial girl. I shouldn't even be angry.
In 3 years such a person will have it a lot more difficult to live.´
„Sorry, Erika. I am not interested. I am sure you will find somebody else for the ball." Ben finally answered.
The low reaction of Ben made Erika frown.
´Who does this guy think he is? I was just friendly. I never planned to go together with you.
You are a boring nerd. Just because you weren't bad in basketball, doesn't give you the right to decline my invitation. You will pay me for that humiliation.´
The classroom was silent, Erika and her clique went back to their place angrily.
Nobody had predicted this outcome. Most guys didn't have a partner and would not go to the ball as it was too humiliating for them.
If Erika asked any of them, they would happily agree. Status was still a very common concept in school life. Being with popular people was the same as becoming popular.
´It is not like any of my friends are interested in the spring ball. Most people don't go there.
The abi ball is the only ball, which forces you to come and find a dance partner. But this will be the problem for another time.´
....
Back at home, Ben was working on his project.
After adding the attacks, Ben was memorizing everything.
The formulas were quite good. The best way to improve the dodge formulas is by understanding dodging better and by trying dodging out in real-life.
Tonight, Ben would create the dodge skill.
Create Skill Perfect Evasion.