Harsh Reality...

~Omniscient Pov~

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Ezra could be seen looking around from the outskirts. Just barely making it into the city...

He stopped, leaning against a slightly broken down wall, "I feel like death..." His legs hurt due to the walk he had to take to get here, and on top of his discomfort with the growth hormones, he wasn't in any particularly good shape...

He winced with each step down the pothole-ridden streets... His calves throbbed from the pain and swelling caused by the little walk he had undergone. He hated how it was at the moment, but at least he was somewhat safe.

As he reached the outskirts of Gotham's East End, the neighborhood grew increasingly rundown. Somewhat abandoned buildings with smashed windows lined the trash-strewn sidewalks. The occasional burned-out car rusting away sent an unsettling vibe.

He continued limping down the deteriorating street, each step sending jolts of pain through his surgically lengthened legs. Up ahead, a glint of reflected light caught his eye - A jagged shard of broken glass lying on the cracked sidewalk.

Ezra paused to pick it up, angling the makeshift mirror to get a look at his appearance, he didn't know what he really looked like... When he did, the narrow piece of glass revealed a gaunt, blue-eyed young man with dark greasy hair hanging limply around a pale, partially sunken face.

He could also tell he was likely mixed, despite being a bit pale, his skin was a very light shade of brown. Maybe his parents were likely both black and white. One thing he could tell though, he was likely of Asian descent, but it wasn't too prominent.

Ezra kept studying his reflection in the shard of broken glass, turning it this way and that to get a better look. Despite his seemingly ragged appearance and unkempt hair, he couldn't deny an undeniable truth - He was actually very good-looking...

All things considered. His icy-blue eyes cut a sharp yet piercing gaze. His nose, though slightly crooked from what seemed to be an old break, maintained an overall straight profile, as well as a deep scar that ran from off his hair and forehead.

And the proportions of his face, hollow as it was at now, hinted at potentially striking features... A wry smile tugged at the corner of his cracked lips as he thought, "Hmm...not bad. I'm handsome, or at least I have the potential to be." He mumbled to himself.

Part of him felt a bit of annoyance that he had been blessed with an attractive face in this rough new life so far, while his old one had been so painfully ordinary looking. But he quickly brushed that feeling aside - he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Good looks could only be an asset in his current predicament.

[... Ezr-]

ECHO got cut off by the sound of rummaging that came from up ahead, drawing Ezra's attention... A seemingly homeless man was elbow-deep in a fetid dumpster behind a boarded-up diner. The putrid stench of rotting food turned Ezra's stomach.

As the vagrant extracted himself and noticed Ezra, a crooked smile split his bearded face, revealing several browning teeth. "Hey pretty boy, you lost?" he called out in a gravelly voice. "Pretty folk like you don't belong 'round these parts after dark." The man said, coming closer.

A chill ran down Ezra's spine at the tone and implicit threat in the vagrant's voice... 

Ezra's throat went dry as he hastily backed away, hands held up in a placating gesture. "Haha... Just passing through, man... just passing through." he lied in a strained tone, trying his best to project an aura of self-assuredness he didn't truly feel.

The wild-eyed stranger matched Ezra's retreat step-for-step, closing the distance between them with a disturbingly lithe and purposeful gait, "Aww, don't be like that pretty little thing..." he growled in a Mock-soothing croon, "Why don't you stick around? Let ol' Grizz here show you the sights..."

'...The hell?' Ezra thought. He could tell that this guy was dead serious, he could feel it.

Ezra then looked down, seeing a bulge slowly form in the man's pants, he looked up back towards the older man, Ezra could tell, he would have to do something he didn't want to on his very first day here.

So of course, he avoided it, and in that same instance, Ezra booked it with all his might...

In fact, every instinct screamed at Ezra to get as far away as possible from this person. He didn't come to Gotham looking for trouble, especially not of this depraved nature on his very first night. Despite his newfound willingness to do what was necessary to survive, avoiding this nightmare scenario took priority, at least for now...

With a spike of adrenaline, Ezra whipped around and took off running as fast as his still-recovering legs could carry him. He gritted his teeth against the searing pain lancing up from his surgically lengthened limbs with every pounding stride.

As he ran, he felt his senses shift and heightened for a moment, but he didn't pay it much mind, he just kept running, "ECHO, is that fucker still behind me!?" He said running.

[Already on it! He is getting farther away from you... Keep going and take a left.]

As soon as he heard her, he felt his senses twinge a bit before returning to normal.

To him, all that mattered was putting distance between himself, and that psychopath. But, the man's mocking laughter and vulgar catcalls echoed down the abandoned street behind him, but Ezra didn't dare look back. He just ran. Ran until his lungs burned and legs threatened to give out from under him.

Finally, after several blocks of blindly sprinting through Gotham's fetid underbelly, Ezra dared to slow his pace. He doubled over, wheezing and coughing, as he looked around with wild eyes. Somehow, miraculously, he appeared to have outrun his deranged pursuer...

'Fuck... What the absolute fuck was that?!' He sat, more like falling onto the rubble floor. Tired from the running, his body aching even more as well.

'It's still my first fucking day...' Ezra muttered bitterly, running a trembling hand through his disheveled hair as the grim reality set in.

Ezra wrapped his arms tightly around his knees, his body was still shaking with some lingering adrenaline and revulsion. What sort of fresh hell had he willingly thrown himself into? If this was his introduction, how much worse would it be ahead? He slowly closed his eyes, feeling more lost and alone than he had in a long time.

[You are safe now master. I activated your senses earlier to scan the surroundings to make sure...]

"Thanks, ECHO... Could you activate that mode that makes me recover fast again? I don't think it's wise to sit this one out..." Ezra was still a little terrified. He needed some time to think about everything so far...

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[...As you wish. However, your body will need nutrients to utilize the function properly...] Ezra knew what she was trying to say. At least he knew she couldn't just do it magically. This little piece of information could save him some trouble in the future...

He grabbed his little bag, took out the food, and began eating like a madman. Instantly, he felt the changes taking place already. His stamina and breath felt normal, not fatigued like they used to. The only problem with this; was that all his food was used up in the process...

But gathering more supplies paled in comparison to his other pressing concerns. Out here on these merciless streets, his safety felt tenuis, and that was at best. He was small in stature, his physical capabilities clearly not his strong suit despite the minor enhancements.

"Echo, is it possible for you to tell me this body's age?" he asked the AI system aloud.

[Affirmative... Running diagnostics...] There was a brief pause before the synthetic voice responded, [At this current moment, the physical age of this body is approximately 15 years of age.]

Ezra nodded grimly, "That, makes sense..." He still had suspected as much, but having it confirmed was still disheartening... This was him now - A powerless teen trying to forge a new existence in the darkest corners of what seemed to be an urban jungle...

"ECHO, can you show me my physical stats please?" he continued. "I'd like a range if possible... Something like a status screen, if you know what I'm trying to say."

[Understood. Compiling baseline physical attributes...] Another pause, then ECHO's voice responded with an almost clinical detachment, in the next few moments, Ezra's eyes were filled with a blue holographic screen;

Physical Age: 15 years

Height: 5'6" / 6'6"

Weight: 78.1 kg

Physical Strength: 45.8 kg / 1002.2 kg

Endurance: 1.2 / 26.42

Perception/reaction speeds: 23.5 mph / 3,833.5 mph

Speed: 8.5 mph / 73.61 mph

Intelligence: Slightly above average / Extremely Intelligent - low Genius]

Ezra looked at the screen carefully, seeing high values beside relatively low ones... 

"Um, what's with the two values?" He asked.

[I compiled your current strength, as well as what you will achieve in the future.]

"Oh, that's quite helpful, thanks for that ECHO... So, based on these statistics, what stats are my strong suit?" He asked again.

[Calculating... Both your perception and agility, with your intelligence being tied at first... Your endurance comes in second, and last would be your physical strength...]

Ezra nodded slowly, taking in the breakdown. His mind raced as he analyzed the data, a plan already starting to take shape. If his greatest assets were his mind and reflexes rather than brawn, then he would have to leverage those strengths to compensate for his severe physical deficiencies.

Looking around at the dilapidated urban decay surrounding him, he knew playing it smart and avoiding confrontations would be key to survival. At least for now, until he could find a way to start pushing those disturbingly low baseline stats higher.

"Okay Echo, thanks for laying it all out." Ezra said, the hints of his resolve hardening with his expression, "ECHO, if possible, I'll need you to build up a map of Gotham's neighborhoods and mark out the most dangerous areas to steer clear of in the future..."

[Affirmative, master Ezra...]

If he was going to make it in this unforgiving new life, he would have to be intelligent, and resourceful and avoid risks beyond his meager capabilities at all costs. It was less than ideal, but he had been issued a fairly raw deal altogether. Ezra knew he would simply have to play the hand he was dealt until he could level up himself enough.

No matter how long or arduous that journey might be, he was in it for the long game now. Bloodying his nose against threats he couldn't yet overcome would only lead to an early and undignified end to his second chance. For now, survival took precedence over anything else.

"Alright, I think I know what I want to focus on right now. That's definitely how to defend myself, improving my body will be something I can do along the way... Echo, got anything that would be suitable for me at this point?"

[Analyzing options based on current physical limitations...] The AI assistant intoned. There was a brief pause as it cross-referenced Ezra's data against potential self-defense techniques and methods.

[Affirmative... Based on age, size, and lack of physical strength - direct hand-to-hand combat training is not recommended. High potential for serious injury. Instead, I suggest focusing on evasion, de-escalation, and non-lethal contingencies.]

A series of icons appeared on a holographic display - Representations of martial arts emphasizing avoidance over confrontation, along with basic self-defense weapons like pepper spray and stun devices.

[Suggest pursuing instruction in arts like Aikido, Jiu-Jitsu, or Judo. Their philosophies leverage an opponent's force rather than matching it, allowing a smaller combatant to redirect or disable a larger threat.]

Ezra furrowed his brow but nodded. As much as the thought of learning how to utterly demolish any threat gave him a primal thrill, Echo's pragmatic recommendations made sense. As much as he didn't want to admit it... Trying to go toe-to-toe against potentially seasoned street brawlers, or even hardened criminals would be suicide in his currently pitiful state...

The icons for the non-lethal weapons caught his eye as well. Having a way to temporarily incapacitate an attacker from a distance could be a crucial advantage before any physical tussle even began. He made a mental note to try acquiring some fundamentals like that once he had funds...

For now, he didn't have such things, and this place seemed like it wasn't for the faint of heart either, "I understand the concerns ECHO, but you got any arts I can use a weapon for? Just in case I need to fight back?

There was a brief pause as the AI analyzed the query against its database...

[Inadvisable to pursue weapon-based martial arts at this stage,] Echo's synthetic voice intoned. [Lack of physical strength and conditioning raises risks of injury or weapon being taken and used against you. Suggest exhausting all non-lethal, evasive options first.]

A series of new icons appeared, depicting makeshift self-defense weapons like sturdy canes, small knives, or expandable batons that could potentially be wielded by someone with Ezra's light build without requiring excessive force.

[However, if a situation becomes unavoidable, these options may provide a moderate force advantage while still allowing for mobility and leverage over brute strength. Again, this is used as an absolute last resort only... But, I will teach you martial arts on how to effectively use a knife in case anything dangerous occurs...]

"Thanks... And since I'm all rested up, mind if we start now? Ezra asked. Still remembering what happened to him only minutes ago, or what could have happened...

Perhaps he was eager to start learning such techniques. But Ezra couldn't shake the feeling that mastering them sooner rather than later could mean the difference between life and death on these streets.

[Understood. We will begin with fundamental knife grips, defensive stances, and target areas to incapacitate a threat.] ECHO intoned, a variety of diagrams and videos materializing in the holographic display, [Remember - These skills are for worst-case scenarios only. Avoidance and escape should always be the top priority, for now, select the difficulty at which you wish to train;

Easy: Light tutorial mode used for beginners This mode focuses on the very basics - proper grip, stance, and basic offensive/defensive motions with a training knife. The moves taught have minimal lethality and are geared more toward gaining comfort with handling a blade. Graphic content is minimized or omitted entirely...

Medium: Also light Builds on the fundamentals from Easy mode but introduces more advanced techniques like disarming, blocking, and striking at semi-lethal target areas. There is some exposure to making cuts and shallow wounds but still avoids the most brutal or gory content. A focus on controlled attacks and creating tactical openings. Utilize yourself in perfect accordance with how techniques should be used...

Hard: Kicks the training into a fully comprehensive system of knife-fighting and lethality. All major arteries, tendon striking, and kill shots are covered in extreme detail through graphic diagrams and videos. Emphases are placed on decapitating strikes, disembowelment, and utterly neutralizing an armed threat by any means necessary. No technique is too extreme or violent. Life-like opponent simulations are now utilized for maximum benefits...

Extreme: The highest, most uncompromising level of training. In addition to mastering every imaginable knife attack, throw, choke, and disarming technique, this mode also covers improvised weapons. Utilizing any object as a potentially lethal implement in close quarters is ruthlessly explored. In-depth tutorials for inflicting maximum maiming, disfigurement, and guaranteed death blows with perfect precision. No hold-barred, full immersion into the mind and body of a brutally efficient knife warrior. Life-like opponent simulations are utilized, however, pain will also be simulated to an extremely high degree...]

Seeing his options, he ran a hand through his disheveled hair, realizing this decision would essentially be choosing the path of just how deeply he was willing to embrace the brutalities required to survive in this harsh new reality. Pulling any punches could prove disastrous.

After a moment's consideration, Ezra squared his shoulders. There would be no half-measures.

"Set it to Extreme..." he said, his voice low but unwavering. "If I'm going to learn this, I can't afford to take shortcuts, or go easy on myself. The harsher the better..."

As much as the idea of being instructed to maim, disable or even kill made his stomach twist into sickened knots, Ezra knew he had to overcome any tentative hesitations. The depths of depravity he had already glimpsed in just his first night in Gotham's underground made it abundantly clear - only the most utterly committed and unflinchingly vicious would persevere.

[Understood. Extreme difficulty engaged.] ECHO's synthetic voice intoned impassively, [We will cover every lethal and disabling strike, throw, choke and disarmament technique. No knowledge will be held back...]

Soon a series of enormously detailed and graphic anatomical diagrams materialized, complete with numerous illustrated angles for attacking every vital tendon, artery and nerve cluster with maximum lethality. Just the thought of having to fully internalize and actualize such savage tactics made Ezra's hands tremble...

'My, God...' He thought, swallowing his saliva. Steeling his resolve...

He continued perusing, not flinching or looking away. Only leaning in closer, jaw clenching with intensity as the brutal visual aids began cycling through utterly merciless knife strikes, chokes, and improvised methods for dismantling human beings down to an anatomical level.

[When you have finished going through all the information, you may begin sparring with your opponent at any time. Mock blades will be used...] ECHO added. He could tell she was cautioning him...

"I understand, ECHO... Just don't hold back."

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END