A stroke of luck

The exo-frame whined as Grant sprinted down the junk heap, closing in fast. The scavengers still hadn't noticed him, too focused on their prey—a girl no older than eight, backed up against a pile of rusted-out plating. Her tiny hands gripped a bent pipe, but the way her arms trembled, Grant doubted she could even swing it properly.

One of the scavengers, a wiry man with cybernetic arms, loomed over her, an ugly grin spreading across his dirt-streaked face.

"Come on, kid," he sneered. "We ain't gonna hurt ya—much. Just give us what ya took."

The second scavenger, taller and built like a wrecking ball, let out a low chuckle. "She's got something good, no doubt. Ain't no street rat runs this far out without a reason. I already let the boss know about it but if we can nab it an' bring it back to her we could get a big pay day"

Grant's gut tightened. He knew this type. In the Colony District, the weak didn't last long—unless someone stepped in.

No time like the present.

Grant leapt from the pile, metal-plated feet slamming into the ground just behind the bigger scavenger. The impact sent a ripple of dust and loose debris flying.

"The hell—?" the bulkier man whirled, but Grant was already moving.

His fist shot forward, the exo-frame's servos whining as he aimed a crushing blow straight for the man's ribs—

CRACK!

Grant's fist connected, but instead of crumpling, the scavenger barely staggered back, grunting in pain but still standing. That wasn't normal.

"Nice punch, kid." The scavenger grinned, rolling his shoulder. "Too bad it ain't enough."

Grant dodged to the side as a massive fist swung toward his head, missing by inches. The air rippled from the sheer force.

"Shit—"

Before he could counter, the wiry scavenger lunged from the side, his cybernetic arms extending unnaturally fast. A metallic fist smashed into Grant's side, sending him skidding across the junk-littered ground.

ALERT: Structural Integrity at 83%

Pain flared in his ribs. If not for the exo-frame, that hit would've shattered something. He barely had time to react before the bigger scavenger charged, aiming to crush him beneath a boot.

Grant rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the impact. His mind raced. These guys weren't ordinary thugs—at least one had reinforced cybernetics, and the other? Probably gene-modded for strength.

This is bad.

He forced himself to his feet, breathing hard. The girl was still frozen in place, watching with wide eyes. If he went down, she was next.

Focus, Captain. Utilize your abilities.

The AI's voice cut through the chaos, and Grant's eyes snapped to the debris around them. Junk. Scraps. Weapons waiting to be made.

His hands twitched, and the faint flicker of power from before flared again.

Omni-Forge – Activate.

The wreckage stirred.

Bolts, plating, and wires snapped into motion, drawn to him like a swirling storm. Sparks crackled, and within seconds, a crude metal gauntlet formed around his right hand.

[Temporary Construct: Scrap Gauntlet – Stability 42%]

The bigger scavenger barely had time to react before Grant rushed forward, driving the gauntlet straight into his gut.

BOOM!

The impact sent a shockwave through the air, lifting the scavenger off his feet and slamming him into the side of an old rusted-out transport. He crumpled with a groan, not getting back up.

"YOU LITTLE—"

The wiry one lunged again, his cybernetic arms splitting into segmented whips, striking out like blades.

Grant barely ducked, but one of the whips sliced across his shoulder, sending sparks flying. His suit's integrity dropped further.

ALERT: Structural Integrity at 67%

He couldn't take many more hits.

Thinking fast, he grabbed a loose cable, twisted it in his hands, and let Omni-Forge do its work. The material morphed, hardening into a makeshift shock coil just as the scavenger came in for another strike.

Grant dodged left, then whipped the coil forward—

Electricity crackled, and the cable latched onto the scavenger's metal arm.

BZZZT!

The man screamed as raw voltage surged through his body, his limbs locking up for a split second. That was all Grant needed.

With everything he had left, he drove his gauntleted fist into the scavenger's jaw—

CRUNCH!

The cybernetic thug collapsed, unconscious before he even hit the ground.

Grant stood there, breathing hard, his entire body aching. His exo-frame was damaged, his constructs already breaking apart, but—

He was still standing.

The girl, still clutching the pipe, stared up at him in awe.

"You… you're amazing," she whispered.

Grant chuckled, shaking out his sore hand. "Yeah? Tell that to my ribs."

BZZZT!

His status screen flickered, displaying a new notification.

[Omni-Forge Alert: New Blueprint Acquired – "Combat Gauntlets"]

His eyes widened slightly. A new blueprint? So fighting and using his abilities could unlock new schematics. That meant—

"User has demonstrated effective combat adaptation. Additional blueprints may be unlocked through continued engagements and resource utilization."

A grin tugged at the corner of Grant's lips. That was useful.

The girl tugged on his sleeve, drawing his attention. "Um… th-thank you. I—I didn't know what to do."

He looked down at her properly for the first time. She was small, even for a kid, with short, messy black hair and a face smudged with dirt. Her clothes were patched together from scrap fabric, barely holding together.

"What's your name, kid?" he asked, kneeling slightly so he wasn't towering over her.

She hesitated before mumbling, "Ria."

"Alright, Ria. Where are your parents?"

Her face fell, and she shook her head.

Of course. Just like him, another orphan of the colony.

Grant sighed, running a hand through his dust-covered hair. He wasn't exactly in the best position to take care of a kid—but leaving her out here? After what just happened? Not happening.

He glanced toward the colony gates.

"C'mon," he said, motioning for her to follow. "Let's get inside before more of those guys show up."

She hesitated only for a moment before nodding and sticking close to his side.

As they walked, Grant opened his status screen again, studying the new blueprint.

"Combat Gauntlets: A reinforced, modular weapon system utilizing Omni-Forge constructs. Current version: Crude. Stability: 45%. Requires refinement."

He smirked.

As they entered the gate Grant took Ria to his shabby "home". Patting down the blankets he knew as his bed he invited the small child to lie on it.

"Hey, what is it you have that made those guys chase you anyway?" Grant questioned.

"U-uhm.... Its.. a ticket" The girl said in a voice barely above a whisper

Grant raised an eyebrow. "A ticket?"

Ria hesitated, glancing down at the worn floor panels of his tiny shack. She reached into the folds of her ragged cloak and pulled out a small, metallic card. Even in the dim light, Grant could tell it wasn't ordinary.

It was sleek, jet-black, with faint gold engravings running along its surface. A thin data strip lined the side, pulsing softly like it was still active.

Grant whistled low. He didn't need to be an expert to know this was something important.

"Where'd you get this?" he asked, carefully taking it from her hands.

Ria fidgeted, hugging her arms. "I… found it. Some rich guy dropped it in the market. I was just gonna look at it, but then—those guys showed up and started chasing me."

Grant turned the card over, his thumb tracing the engravings. Something about it felt strange. Heavy, like it was more than just metal.

Then, as if responding to his touch, the golden patterns flared to life. A holographic display blinked into existence, projecting a string of text in front of him.

"Priority Access to test: Zenith Academy—Pilot Candidacy."

Grant's breath caught in his throat.

Zenith Academy. The most elite pilot school in the system. A place where the most powerful people in the galaxy trained their heirs and best soldiers. People from the slums like him? They didn't even get to dream about setting foot there.

And here it was. A ticket in his hands. A chance to take a test that would change his life.

Ria shifted nervously. "Is… is it bad?"

Grant stared at the card, his mind racing.

Bad? No. This was huge.

But it also meant one thing—whoever owned this wasn't just rich. They were important. And if the wrong people found out he had it…

Grant's grip tightened.

"Ria," he said slowly, keeping his voice calm. "Do you have any idea what this means?"

She shook her head, wide-eyed.

Grant exhaled sharply.

If he played this right, this ticket could be his way off this rock. His way to something better.

But first—he had to make sure no one came looking for them.

"Do you know who those guys were?" Grant asked because he had a sneaking suspicion he did - The viper gang. A notorious gang crawling among the colony district of Karvess.

Ria shook her head quickly, her small hands gripping the edges of the thin blanket Grant had given her. "I don't know… they just started chasing me."

Grant exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. The Viper Gang. He had seen their work before—smuggling, extortion, human trafficking. They were everywhere in the Colony District of Karvess, and worse, they had connections with the bigger players in the underworld.

If they were after this ticket, then it wasn't just valuable. It was dangerous.

He stared at the metallic card in his hands, its golden patterns still glowing faintly. This wasn't just a ticket to the Zenith Academy—this was someone's way into power. A free pass into the world of the rich and powerful.

And now, he had it.

Grant clenched his jaw. The Vipers wouldn't let this go. If they had chased Ria across half the district, they'd keep looking.

And when they found out she had been rescued by him?

He glanced at Ria, who was huddled under the blanket, looking small and exhausted.

He was already involved.

Grant leaned back against the cold wall, staring up at the rusted ceiling. What now?

"User has acquired a high-value asset. Analysis suggests imminent danger. Strategic options recommended."

The system's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Yeah?" Grant muttered. "And what options do I have?"

"Immediate Relocation: High Risk. Increased chances of conflict with Viper Gang operatives."

"Asset Disposal: Eliminates pursuit but forfeits potential opportunity."

"Utilization: Secure protection and resources by leveraging the ticket's value."

Grant scowled. "That's a real nice way of saying, 'Run, Give Up, or Fight.'"

Ria shifted, looking up at him. "What are you gonna do?"

Grant stared at the ticket in his hands, his mind whirring.

He wasn't strong enough yet. His Omni-Forge was still too basic, his exo-frame barely held together, and he had no real allies.

But this ticket? This opportunity?

It was worth the risk.

"I'm gonna use it," he finally said, his voice firm. "And if the Vipers come after us—"

He clenched his fist, feeling the faint hum of power from his newly awakened ability.

"—I'll make sure they regret it."