Aiming to subdue rather than maim

'They sound familiar' Michael thought. He didn't know from where, but somehow the voices were familiar to him... Suddenly, Michael felt his head buzz as he remembered. 'Damn it, I don't think I'll be able to talk my way out of this' He realized after remembering who the voices belonged to. 'These are the bastards that Nick put up to bully and beat up Michael'

"I'm nearly done, one second" Michael yelled as his hand moved to the stall door, unlocking it quietly.

"Don't pretend, come out!" One of the boys yelled and Michael could hear his footsteps approaching the stall.

BANG!

When he was close enough, Michael, without a second thought, kicked the stall door with as much power as possible. The stall door opened with power, but with a bang, midway, it stopped and started closing again as if it hit something or someone on the other side.

"ARGH, YOU MOTHERFUCKER!!"

Michael felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins as the enraged voice of one of the kids reverberated through the bathroom. He didn't have much time to think as he assessed the situation.

With one of the three already injured, he now faced two assailants, both likely seething with anger.

"Sorry boys, I'm not letting the same incident from last time happen again" Michael quickly said. "This is revenge for the old Michael"

The stall door, now partially opened, revealed the injured kid clutching his arm in pain. Michael's heart raced, his mind processing the unfolding chaos with remarkable clarity.

'Is this due to the Potential stat or the intelligence stat??' Michael thought.

Quickly, Michael scanned the small bathroom, taking note of every possible advantage. His gaze landed on a metal pipe lying in a corner, likely left behind by maintenance workers. Without hesitation, he darted towards it, his movements agile and precise.

The remaining two kids, momentarily taken aback by Michael's sudden burst of strength and assertiveness, began to advance cautiously. From their memories, Michael was frail and pathetic, unable to even throw a proper punch without hesitating like a coward. 'What happened to him?' One of the kids thought

Michael, on the other hand, had already formulated a plan. Gripping the pipe tightly, he swung it in a wide arc, creating a barrier between himself and his adversaries.

"Stay back!" he commanded, his voice surprisingly steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. His newfound strength and agility made his movement smooth and fast. The kids hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.

'The average adult stats should be around 5 and 6, while we're still 17-year-old teenagers, so I assume the average should be around 3 and 4, right?' Michael thought. 'My strength stat is at 4, while my agility and vitality are around 3, If I'm careful and use a strategy wisely, I should be able to fight them off.'

Seizing the opportunity, Michael lunged forward, using the close quarters of the bathroom to his advantage. He aimed for the nearest kid's knee with a calculated strike, hoping to incapacitate him long enough to deal with the other.

The blow landed with a satisfying thud, eliciting a cry of pain from his opponent. But the third kid lunged at him from the side before Michael could follow up, catching him off guard. Instinctively, Michael twisted out of the way, narrowly avoiding the incoming attack.

As the two assailants recovered, Michael's mind raced with possibilities. He couldn't afford to let his guard down, not even for a moment. He evaluated the situation quickly, his mind processing information at a rapid pace.

Michael threw himself into action again with a renewed sense of resolve, every move deliberate and accurate. His adversaries, caught off guard by his sudden ferocity, struggled to keep up. It was as if Michael had transformed before their very eyes, evolving from the weak and scared old him to a merciless new Michael.

This was Michael's strategy. He needed to act carefully and not get hit while at the same time swinging to cause fear rather than damage. He was fighting kids, not mutants, so his attacks were mostly fakes that appeared to be aimed at causing severe injury.

The metallic clang of the pipe meeting resistance echoed through the bathroom, reverberating off the tiled walls like a battle cry. With each swing, Michael maintained a delicate balance between aggression and restraint, aiming to subdue rather than maim his opponents.

With each feigned strike and strategic maneuver, Michael gradually gained the upper hand. His adversaries, once confident in their ability to overpower him, now found themselves on the defensive, their bravado waning with each passing moment.

Sensing their hesitation, Michael pressed his advantage, driving them further into a corner. His movements were fluid and precise, a stark contrast to the old, clumsy, and uncertain fighter the old Michael had once been. This thought made the kids even more uncertain.

With a decisive blow, Michael sent one of his assailants to the ground, the sound of impact echoing through the small bathroom. The remaining kid, now visibly shaken, hesitated for a moment before turning and fleeing from the scene.

***

Breathing heavily, Michael watched as the last kid scrambled out of the bathroom, opening and closing the bathroom door.

Turning his attention to the injured kid still clutching his arm, Michael's expression softened. Despite everything, he couldn't bring himself to leave the boy in pain.

"Hey, are you okay?" Michael asked, approaching cautiously.

The injured kid looked up, surprise evident in his eyes. "Yeah, I think so," he muttered, gingerly testing his arm.

Michael hesitated for a moment before extending a hand to help the kid up. "I'm sorry about what happened."

The kid regarded him warily before nodding in agreement. With Michael's support, he helped the kid stand back up and then moved to the other one.

Michael could not help but feel regret as he stared at them. The faces of the kids he had just fought seemed to blur together with memories of his past encounters with bullies, but kids are just kids. He tried to get over his hatred and anger despite still having the memories and emotions of the old Michael. 'I shouldn't put too much blame on them since I don't know their situation, but Nick and Hugo won't get away with what they did' Michael said through gritted teeth as he clenched his fists.

Despite the confusing and chaotic situation, one thing was evident: Michael had transformed from a helpless victim to someone who could fight his own battles. He had discovered a power that had limitless potential, and he was committed to utilizing it to safeguard himself and others from harm.