Chapter 9: Victim - Brute Strength (2).

[Date: Monday, August 29, 2027]

[Time: 5:07 PM]

[Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada]

Vinny was laid down on his bed daydreaming. His room was a shrine to his passion for martial arts and combat sports. The walls were plastered with posters of legendary MMA fighters alongside iconic martial artists. A large, framed photo of Vinny himself, posing in his karate gi, takes center stage on the main wall.

His impressive collection of martial arts belts – from karate to Brazilian jiu-jitsu to taekwondo – is proudly displayed on a wooden rack.

Shelves overflow with action figures of practitioners and fighters displaying various martial arts techniques. A stack of MMA and martial arts magazines sits on his nightstand.

A punching bag hangs in the corner, while a pair of boxing gloves and a martial arts staff lean against the wall, ready for impromptu training sessions.

The room's color scheme reflects Vinny's personality – bold, fierce, and strong – with black, red, and silver dominating the space. Vinny's room embodies his unwavering dedication to martial arts and his unrelenting drive to become a champion.

But right now, he was in a dilemma. "How did I lose?" he asked. Surprisingly, Vinny suffered his first loss after taking the road towards martial arts. He was now discouraged and felt like procrastinating.

Suddenly, a knock was heard at his door. He said dishearteningly, "Come in." The door opened, and a lady walked in. It was his mom, Jeneve, and she looked much like him. She had green eyes and the same facial structure. The only differences were that her son was light-skinned while she was dark, and that his hair was red and hers was black.

Vinny sat up on his bed, staring at the floor. His mom, Jeneve, entered the room, concern etched on her face.

"Hey, kiddo. Tough day, huh?" she asked.

Vinny sighed, "Yeah... I lost."

Jeneve took a seat beside him. "So you got into a fight in school. I heard that you got suspended. What happened?"

Vinny shrugged, "I don't know. It was mostly my fault. I asked him to fight, and I ended up losing. Was all my hard work and training for nothing?"

"You did train hard, sweetie. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. When I was your age, I was transferring to my sixth school," Jeneve said with a smile. "Besides, losing doesn't define your worth or your skills. It's part of the journey. If all those martial artists took losing so seriously, there wouldn't be a sport for them."

Vinny looked up. "You're right. But I wanted to win so badly."

Jeneve said, "I know you did. And it's okay to feel disappointed. You can't let it discourage you; you must use it as fuel to improve. But why did you ask a random person to fight you?"

Vinny slowly nobbed then stopped. "He is my friend, if you call him that. I wanted to see if I was better than him as he seemed strong."

"Hmm, well, at least you are better than me when I was younger," said his mom as she got up and faced the door.

Vinny smirked, "I'll get stronger."

"Exactly!" Where did he go?" Jeneve turned around to see that her son had disappeared. She saw that the once-closed window was now open, blowing breeze. She looked through the window to see Vinny sprinting down the alleyway. She sighed, "I wasn't ready to become a mother."

***

[Time: 5:43 PM]

[Location: CC Staffing Agency, Halifax]

Vinny was now in front of a large building. It was called CC Staffing Agency, and its exterior exudes professionalism and warmth. The modern, two-story glass and steel structure boasts sleek, curved lines and a minimalist design. The warm beige and silver color scheme creates a soothing and approachable atmosphere.

The facade features large glass windows that allow natural light to flood the interior and provide visibility into the agency. Prominently displayed above the entrance is CC Staffing Agency's logo, a calming blue and white design. Attractive greenery and plants surround the building.

The entrance is designed with double glass doors with sleek silver handles that swing open automatically, revealing a comfortable seating area.

"This place looks so cool from the outside," Vinny said. "If I didn't know any better, I wouldn't believe this was the place where I was held against my will."

Vinny then walked towards the glass doors as they slid away before he could touch them. Inside, the agency was bustling with customers; some were seated, others were speaking to the staff. Vinny approaches the reception desk, where a friendly receptionist greets him.

"Hi, welcome to CC Staffing Agency! How can we help you today?" she asked.

Vinny grimaced a bit. "Hey, I'm here for a meeting with Lucas."

The receptionist then proceeds to check the schedule, not before glancing at Vinny suspiciously. "Ah, Lucas's not available right now. Can I help you with something else?"

"Uhh," Vinny was now confused. "I'm here for the special services meeting."

"(Whatever that is.)" he said in his head.

The receptionist's expression changes, and she discreetly presses a button under her desk.

The receptionist then smiled. "Oh, okay! Let me just check on that for you." She then picked up her phone and dialed a number.

For a few seconds, there was ringing until a masculine voice asked, "What is the problem?"

"Umm, sir, we have a visitor for the... special services meeting."

A hidden section of the wall behind the reception desk, which was covered in moss and leaves, slides open, revealing a hidden elevator.

She then gestured to Vinny. "Right this way, please."

Vinny steps into the elevator, not before pushing away the moss from his face, and the doors close behind him.

The receptionist's voice comes through the intercom. "Please enter your access code, sir. If you don't have one, then-"

"I have it," said Vinny.

Vinny typed in a sequence of numbers on the elevator's keypad. The elevator descends, and the doors open to reveal a sleek, underground facility.

Vinny steps out, and the doors close behind him. He finds himself in a secure, underground complex filled with advanced weapons and specialized equipment.

Lucas, a suited man with a serious expression, greets him.

"Welcome, Vinny. What brings you here?" the boss asked.

Vinny's eyes adjust to the dim lighting, and he takes in the facility's impressive scope.

Vinny gasped, "This looks a lot better now that I'm not tied up?"

Lucas smiled. "You're here for training, I presume?"

Vinny nods and stops. "How did you know?"

"Don't ask stupid questions, just get on with it," the boss said, brushing Vinny off.

"Davante is in the room to your left, which is the gym. He's always in there."

Vinny went towards the right, which was Lucas's left. He didn't know if Lucas was actually the man's name, but that was all he had to work on.

He walked into the underground gym, a vast space filled with top-of-the-line equipment and training. He spots Davante, a towering figure with a chiseled physique, standing near a heavy bag or more of rock.

The punching bag was shaped as one but looked and had the texture of a gigantic block.

Davante notices Vinny and approaches him.

He smirks as he said, "You're here, Vinny. I never thought you'd come back here."

"I would eventually if I want to become stronger," Vinny said.

"Hmm, well I'm your mentor. But I have a question. Why do you wish to become stronger?"

Vinny scratched the back of his head. "Well I lost to Kevin. I pretty much fought him at full strength and I lost. I want to be able to beat him."

Davante grinned and then it turned into a laugh. "Hahaha! HAHAHA!"

His laugher echoed through our the facility. So much so that it felt like a mini earthquake.

"Vinny," said Davante as he grabbed Vinny's shoulder,  "What you dream of is impossible."

"Huh?" Vinny inquired.

"You see, you're a genius. A genius is a person that has a high IQ in a center topic, meaning they can grasp content quickly," said Davante.

"What you are trying to beat is prodigy. A prodigy being one that can learn any topic without putting in much effort."

Davante continued. "In comparison, a genius that has worked hard for ten years is equal to a prodigy that has only 1 month of experience."

"So your saying that I can't beat him?" Vinny asked.

Davante glanced at Vinny.

"Listen to me Vinny. The human body possesses remarkable adaptability, allowing it to adjust and respond to changing internal and external environments," said Davante. "Through a complex processes, the body adapts to various stimuli, such as exercise, temperature, etc. For instance, regular physical activity triggers muscular to become more enhanced or durable."

Vinny was now confused. "Why are you telling me this?"

Davante continued. "In short, the more pain the body feels, it becomes stronger so that it doesn't feel pain again."

"So pain equals gain," said Davante.

Davante walked away. A few seconds later, he hands Vinny a  mouthguard.

"What's all this for?" Vinny asked.

Davante, now serious, says, "You'll learn to withstand my punches. And they're... intense."

Vinny's eyes widen as Davante demonstrates his punching power, striking a nearby concrete wall and cratering it.

Vinny was now stunned. "Whoa! That's insane!"

Davante smirks, "That's what you'll be withstanding. Regularly."

Vinny gulps, unsure if he's ready.

"We'll start with 20% of my max strength. Note that, I just used 25%," he said. "Gradually, I'll increase the intensity over 6 days."

Vinny nods, and a smiled etched on his face.

"Let's do this. If I'm going die, at least it was to become stronger."

Davante grins and assumes a fighting stance.

To Be Continued...

Next Chapter: Victim - Swordsmanship (3).