Chapter 17: Tower Climb.

I was on my way to the tower in question. I was retreading old ground as I walked. It occurred to me that I never did stop by that bar I had went too when I first got to the planet. Rather I never really left the arena tower much. I probably could… I wasn't too far from it, and it was hardly much of a detour.

I mean, yesterday was when she gave me the details and I had gone straight to sleep after she finished giving me a rundown. Then I woke up and ate a fairly good meal… Was I hungry? Did I even want to stop at the bar? Meh… Seemed like too much trouble.

Ignoring the promise, I had made to return I walked on. The city streets grew worse and worse as I went. It peaked once I hit the maximum periphery of the tower's influence and didn't really improve as I got closer to the target tower. Rather, the air was stagnant, tumultuous. Like a storm was brewing.

Each of the towers acted as manmade dragon veins that shifted and altered the energy. A healthy tower administration had marked results. The neighborhood and the people around it trended to being, less dangerous. Instead, in this neighborhood it became clear that the tower wasn't in working order. Or more like a clogged drain.

The people in the streets, although few even before were essentially nonexistent. But I could feel eyes on me. A quick pulse of my ki returned countless bodies watching with bated breath. Hungry, waiting. The closer I got the more brazen their gazes were. And just before the tower I could see them sitting around, glaring at me like a flock of crows.

The air was clogged, though to an average person it would likely seem tense. The gathered energies the tower was supposed to cycle and recycle instead gathered and bottled in the center. It was almost physical, like walking through a mire. The air slowly infuses those around it. Their very essence changing in mild ways.

I wasn't sure what the end goal was, but it hadn't been long since this had happened. The thickness in the air seemed to be a recent change, but even as recent as it was it had consequences. People were on edge, more willing to fight. More like carrion birds then people. Even the garbage in the streets carried a special kind of taint that messed with the senses.

If I found myself to be a more conscientious person, or perhaps more of a goody two shoes. I'd find myself enraged at the state of affairs. Perhaps I would be grinding at the bit to fix the issue and help clean out the clog. As it was, I found myself mildly curious and slightly attracted to the source of the clog. Almost like it held an answer to a question.

I took this job for simple reasons. I didn't want to wait the months it would take for Bruiser to get back to perfect form. Or at least enough that he won't just drop dead in a fight. Instead, the moment I do this one thing Fera assured me she'd be able to finish up on her own. Even if that's not what she wanted at first, but… we don't always get what we want.

So, a compromise. I clear out the problematic tower and I can leave. Not like she could stop me, but my own mentality… No. more like, I couldn't just leave. Like… Like that sensation like a puzzle piece was missing. A sensation so much like when I was with the squidivators. Was there more to it?

I wasn't too sure, but I was inclined to follow this emotion. Be it some cultivator power nonsense or the director nudging me along. Staying just a bit longer wouldn't cause me any problems. If anything, a fight against a protected position would help me work out some built up aggression. And if I could get an answer to the energy in the air? All the better.

When I got near the base, a pair of guards were blocking my way. They were tense, prepared to fight. They wore armor, almost like an insect carapace. Shiny and sleek. Helmets with tinted visors. Massive guns the size of their chest.

"This area is restricted! Only tower personnel allowed beyond this point!" One of them yelled as they both pointed their weapons at me. I continued walking, ignoring their mewling's. "I said this was a restricted area! Stop or we will shoot!"

He said again as I closed the distance, a series of clicks hit my ear. They took a step forward to brace for fire. Before they got the chance to fire, I closed the distance in a blink. "Huh?" The unlucky fellow I had closed on said stupidly as he stared into my eyes. It must have looked like I simply teleported. Such was my speed I suppose. I gripped his gun, yanked it out of his hands while he froze and proceeded to smash him in the head with it.

The gun bent and his helmet dented as he went down. I swung around, my body spinning to face the other guard, avoiding the slug as it whiffed by. The concrete exploded as the chunk of metal slammed into it. Before he could fire again, I closed the distance once more, slamming into his leg and giving him a sideswipe that sent him down and out.

I picked up his weapon and looked it over. Wasn't sure how it worked, and as I fiddled with it and accidentally broke a piece off thinking it was stuck. For a moment I found myself tempted to dig inside their brains for the answer, but… It was a little, annoying to do so. Even if I was careful, having so many memories implanted played hell with my psyche.

Annoyed I couldn't go in full auto I toss aside the weapon and stretch. I let the eyes wash over me as I flex. I could feel the shock and fear, and primarily the hunger. Finishing, I began to walk towards the tower's front door. I expected more guards to make their way to block me, but nobody stopped me as I stepped up the stairs on the outside.

This tower was different. It had a more administrative feel compared to the arena. I kicked open the massive double doors. The material was some type of glass that managed to not shatter when I kicked it in. Instead, the hinges broke first causing the doors to slam inside and scar up the tiled floor.

Stepping inside I was slapped with fresh conditioned air. A single man stood across from me behind a receptionist counter. He wore a uniform, almost military, but not quite. He glared at me. I slowly stepped forward, stopping in the center of the floor as I heard footsteps.

I glance to my left and right as soldiers pour out to block my way forward. I glance back to the entrance to see it is not blocked.

"You're surrounded! Surrender or die!" I glance to the man in uniform before me, his gaze upsetting. He was looking at me like I was a trapped animal. His gaze only got worse as I checked the door once more. Almost mocking.

I looked over the numbers again, and I made my decision. Apparently, the uniformed man noticed. "Kill her!" I flicked my wrist before they got the chance to fire. The pair of doors heaving as my mind moved them to block the incoming fire. The slugs slamming into the doors cratering them. In a single breath the doors didn't have a single uncracked portion. Their guns ran empty, a loud resounding series of clicks and clacks echoing as their weapons ran dry.

I heard the telltale sounds of magazines hitting the ground as I made my move. The doors were pushed close to me, and I didn't have the brainpower to fling them at a good velocity. Which meant I had to cheat. I shoved them with all the power I had physically. I Let the force of my hit. as I slammed them, spread through the doors to prevent them breaking.

In an instant the pair of doors screamed out. Slamming into the flanking squads, smashing them, pasting them against the far wall. The clear glass did nothing to hide the fate of those unlucky fools. Noting the survivors I slammed my foot into the ground, making the ground quake. My purpose was clear as the tiles cemented below were shaken off their foundation.

From there it was easy to grab them with my mind and pull them to my side. A swipe to the left, a swipe to the right. A forceful flick on each tile as they shot out, my telekinesis giving them just the right amount of spin and direction for them to whirr out. Bisecting and cutting through the rest of the guards.

Well, if more didn't pour out from the sides and back. The man before me drawing a pistol to aim at me.

"Your tricks are nothing!" And he started monologuing. I wasn't sure exactly what was going on but seeing the surrounding guards I knew for a fact my kinesis was nowhere near enough to stop the bullets. And I highly doubted they could kill me. My clothes on the other hand… They wouldn't survive impact, save for my underwear.

It would take too much work for me to rip them to pieces one by one. Meaning I should probably use my ki, but… I don't know. At this stage using my ki felt like giving up on the last part of a marathon. I was essentially at the finish line. Was there something I could do?

The uniformed man was still spouting something while the guards glanced around at the dead bodies and me. Tense, afraid. It didn't take a mind reader to sense just how close they were to just cutting and running, but I didn't really want that… The more I watched the man go on and on with his spiel, the more I wished I could just blow his head up or something… A strange thought crossing my mind.

Could I… Could I scanners him? I could read minds, but… Could I like flood his brain with so much junk it explodes? I mean… Maybe? Either way I had to try, even if I look like an idiot for it.

Which meant I started glaring at the pompous idiot before me… And staring. And staring.

"You! What are you doing!" He seemed confused. I was just, uh, glaring. And well, uh… He just started looking like he was having a seizure. A stray bullet shot pinging off the wall somewhere as he fell over the desk. I felt pressure build in my head. It built and built until finally it popped. His head didn't explosively explode as he stood. More like his eyes popped out as blood spurted from his nose and he just fell over the desk, dead.

My head hurt, my nose felt clogged, and I blew out a thick bloody phlegm from my nostrils. My kinesis was done for, at least for now. Like a blown gasket. Wonderful. Collecting myself I look over the frozen soldiers. I expected them to continue the fight, my gaze projecting provocation. They shifted, fingers on the triggers.

I readied to dodge to move as, "RUN FOR IT!!!" They bolted away, those at the front door fled out, those at the side turned weapons to the glass walls and blasted their way out. All the while screaming out for them to hurry up and other stuff.

"SHE KILLED THE BOSS!" "MOVE FASTER YOU MORONS!" "SHE KILLED HIM! WITH HER MIND!"

And soon left me alone… "THE HELL!?" Since when do mooks cut and run!? It took me a minute to come to terms with the fact they actually ran and made my way to the elevator behind the reception desk. I hit the highest number and simply just let it lift me. Just shy of the top floor the elevator cuts off. I step out and come face to face with robots.

I bolt to the side as they unleash a wave of… energy bolts? Their guns were large like cannons with massive batteries stuck on the back. I only manage to find a space as I smash through a flimsy office wall and drill my way around to the back of their formation. The floor itself an open floor plan with offices set on the periphery.

I work my way through the droids with some ease, but eventually cheat by redirecting the lasers with my hands as I wasn't a huge fan of bullet hells. It wasn't like I was using my ki in an obvious way, and the energy would slide off me to an extent, if not scorching my clothes I'm sure there was a good excuse I had. Either way I worked through them fairly quickly and soon enough they were all scrapped with only some mild burns on my clothes. I have to pat out the few sparks threatening to make my clothes combust, but otherwise fine.

I double checked the floors. At least a dozen floors before the top. Likely filled with robots. I consider my position. Consider if it's worth the effort… It's not. Which means a shortcut. I walk back to the elevator and slam my way through the roof of the cabin. I proceed then to leap my way up floor by floor to the final floor.

I rip open the elevator, half expecting some threat. Only to be right as a veritable storm of slugs engulf me and push me back out the door. I fall a few floors before I manage to get a grip on something and fling myself back up and into the room. It was a massive open area, almost like it was stripped. A few pillars scattered throughout the floor as a dozen power suits stood arrayed facing the elevator door.

"How the fuck!?" A voice crackled out. "Less talk more shoot!" Another voice screamed as they level their guns again as they unleash hell. Massive slugs easily the size of my arm shoot out, puncturing and shredding the floor and walls as I dance and redirect.

"HOW THE FUCK IS SHE DOING THAT!" A voice screamed over a loudspeaker. It wasn't easy, each slug I was forced to redirect made my bones vibrate from the force. The force was more than enough to stall my momentum, even pushing me back. The guns were massive, more like something to be set up on a point defense system. The power suits even had some kind of motor system or wheels on their feet that they abused to keep out of my reach.

It was a game of tag, a very frustrating game as my clothes were steadily ripped and shredded. I was tempted to just cheat at this point and go all out. Especially when a few shots got a little too close to my scouter. I imagine if I just stood here and let them hit me, they could probably kill me by blunt force trauma more so than anything else. Their guns were belt fed, and they were clearly extremely well trained.

In a way, the thought of having to use ki actively annoyed me. The idea that if I used it at this point would be like losing. And losing to these chumps? That didn't sit well with me at all. How much was I willing to give up for my pride though? My scouter, even if I had a spare wasn't exactly replaceable. I mean, I could probably get a replacement made or someone to copy the tech later, but…

As strange as it sounds, it reminded me of home. Like a stupid bauble that I held on for no other reason than to ease my heart. Maybe I should just take the loss and show these amateurs whose really in charge? The thought rampaged in my mind. A decision rapidly forming, and as if on cue. One of them tripped.

It should have been obvious to me, the possibility of that. They were making the floor into swiss cheese. The glass shattered and the vents overpoweringly loud. Oppressive air pressure pushing on us. With such an uneven ground it was just a matter of time until one of their wheels got stuck in a ditch or broke.

Either way, the moment was perfect, and I leapt for it. All eyes locked on me in that instant. Guns levelled as they aimed for where I was and was going to be. I could dodge… Maybe tank it, even if it leaves me trapped to get hit… I could back off because it happened once it was going to happen again. I did none of the above.

My aura flared out a bloody red as I activated Kaio Ken. And I double jumped, slamming forward off just the air. I smashed into the offending machine and with a big punch juked it out one of the towers' windows. I stopped myself, digging furrows into the concrete as everyone froze.

The dynamic changed in that instant. I moved with supernatural agility, the net missing just one shooter became loose as I ripped and tore apart each machine limb by limb. Oftentimes the occupants dying in a bloody manner. The lucky few found themselves instantly killed or shunted off the tower.

Once the final power suit was dismantled, I stood heaving. Prying my fingers and pulling apart plates. Ripping out arms and cables was a shockingly good workout. I stretched out my worn-out muscles before making my way to the final elevator shaft. Just the top part left. I had to climb up and through the elevator shaft and cabin, but all's well. When I came to the top floor I was greeted.

"So, we meet again, Rettas." A woman wearing a suit and an angry look. Beside her was a man, likely a secretary. I look around, the office similar to Fera's but not nearly as classy. A massive desk sat in the center. A blinking red light was emanating from it, an alarm or something? Explains why I hadn't heard anything, probably a silent alarm. I look back to the woman in the suit.

"And you are?" I ask genuinely confused as she screams whilst pulling out a pistol and unloading the magazine at me.