"Oh! Look who finally crawled down—it's the Party King!" Veronica sniped the moment I entered the living room.
"Off to another rager?" Irene added. "Don't drink too much this time, Daddy might get even angrier!" Both of them started cackling.
"You two are toxic."
"Toxic sisters who are going to Spain, unlike some people." Patience, Michael. They're my sisters, and I don't need another punishment.
"Don't worry, bro, we'll definitely bring you souvenirs."
"Who says I'm not going? There's still a week and a half left; things change."
"Dad rarely changes his mind," Veronica said. She's always been this biting, hasn't she?
"But you'd have to leave a sixteen-year-old home alone for three weeks," I countered—my trump card. "No relatives in America to watch me."
Irene actually looked worried. "True... Dad might fold if Mom gets persistent."
"I hope that doesn't happen!" the little brat added. I really wanted to wipe those smirks off their faces with a brick.
I headed to the kitchen, grabbed some apple juice, and drank straight from the carton since Mom wasn't home. Disgusting chemicals. How do people drink this?
"What about your friends?" Veronica asked. "Are they grounded too?"
"I haven't checked." I pulled out my phone and checked the group chat.
"Wait... what? The hospital?!"
"What happened?"
"A bunch of people from the party got food poisoning and are in the hospital... Holy hell."
"From the booze?"
"Looks like it..." I didn't need to tell them the "magic potion" I shared was the real culprit. "Don't tell Mom and Dad!"
"You think they won't find out?" Irene asked. "In a town this size? That's huge news."
Back in my room, I tried to see the girls' levels. Nothing. I focused, visualized, but no stats popped up. The System is definitely nerfed.
I gutted my piggy bank. $744. Not bad, but it won't last long at this rate. Whaling in this game is actually worth it.
How do I pay? Do I hold the money? Tap the screen?
I selected the 10-pack. "Insufficient Balance." I held a hundred-dollar bill up to the window, and it vanished from my hand. Successful purchase. No change, though. Greedy system.
1,830 crystals now. Time for the DC Banner. Maybe I'll get Superman or Power Girl. Just please, no more underwear.
Let's go!
Donation Coupon: $99.90. Silence. At least next month's top-up is free.
Zid Taubane (Cartoon Hero). Wait, '4-Cut Hero'? The smart, tricky MC? Awesome.
Enhancement Card. Number two. Good to have.
Batarang (DC). Cool, but what now? Put it on a shelf or sell it?
Analyze. Wait, this is a skill? It should have been a base feature!
Deus (Asura's Wrath). Jackpot. The pride-fueled god. Basically a Superman-tier planet-buster, but a total prick.
Kryptonite Ring (DC). A big green rock. Hope I never have to use it. Fighting Kryptonians is a death wish.
Enhancement Card. RNG is being kind.
Will Vandom (W.I.T.C.H.). Childhood crush. Guardian of Kandrakar. Solid pull.
Space Cabbie (DC). The guarantee pull. The 60s were wild.
I analyzed the haul. Deus is too dangerous to summon or merge with. He'd probably kill me and take over the world.
Space Cabbie is safe, but useless. I'll stick with Chun-Li for Unity. She gives me a combat buff, and I can level up quickly using her knowledge.
I activated the Analyze card. I looked out the window at my neighbor.
Franklin Collins (Old Man Collins). Level 22.
Level 22?! Is he a secret agent or something? I used an Enhancement card on the skill.
Franklin Collins. Titles: "Old Man Collins", ???. Level 22.
Still vague. Using it drained 30 mana per pop. I felt a slight fatigue.
Boredom struck. Time to test Chun-Li's skills in the yard. I put on shorts and a tank top and started warming up.
I mirrored her stance. It felt natural. My strikes were crisp, like I'd practiced for years.
But the legs... that was a disaster. I lacked the flexibility. I couldn't do the Spinning Bird Kick or the vertical strikes.
[ Skill: Chinese Martial Arts increased. ]
[ Skill: Martial Arts increased. ]
"Genius" is a cheat code. I kept at it, pushing the speed.
I got into a flow. Jab, low kick, block, palm strike. I was getting carried away.
I tried a high-flying vertical kick, a perfect хай-кик.
Crack. Snap.
"Aaaargh..." I performed a perfect male split and collapsed backward, hitting my head on the dirt.
"SHIT!!! You stupid pervert!!!" I screamed, clutching my groin and my head. "I should have checked your 'other' skills instead!"
[ Skill: Chinese Martial Arts increased. ]
[ Skill: Martial Arts increased. ]
Shut up. Just shut up.