chapter 16: Sync in Progress — Duo Challenge Begins
POV: Zai
It was 2:00 or so on Sunday afternoon.
My dad walked in with his airport duffel bag slung over one shoulder and his jacket half-zipped like usual. He looked tired, but he smiled at me when he saw I was awake.
"Zai! You kept the house together while I was gone?"
"Yeah," I replied, getting up from the couch and dappping him up. "No fires, no cops. We're square."
He smiled, rubbing his beard. "That's the bar now?"
"Realistic expectations," I grinned.
We talked for a bit—sports, school, his next shift. He didn't ask too many questions, and I didn't share too many answers. That was just… how we did it. Unspoken trust.
At 4:50, he was lacing his boots back on.
"I'll be in late," he said, grabbing his bag. "If anything goes down—"
"I got it. Always."
"Alright, champ. Don't burn the place down."
"I make no promises."
He glared at me, and then drove away. I waited until I heard the sound of the door clicking shut and the car reversing out of the driveway.
Then I sprinted up to my room.
"System," I breathed, shutting the door behind me. "Activate the challenge."
[QUEST "THE BOND TEST" – ACTIVATED]
Generating Match Scenario.
STAGE: Final Destination Variant (Simulated Flat Zone)
ENEMIES: 2x Lv. 4 CPU-Based Opponents (Randomized)
ALLY: Mac-Zero [Lv. 4]
Objective: 25% Sync. Victory win.
Bonus: Finish a shared finisher.
The world around me sparkled like water ripples.
My bedroom disassembled into light and information—flattening, reassembling—and when it stopped, I was standing on a wide, flat black pedestal suspended in endless sky. My jeans and hoodie had become a sleek combat attire—nothing flashy, just loose and movement-friendly.
Mac-Zero stood to my left, arms crossed.
In front of us—two enemy CPU projections snapped into place.
ENEMY 1: Ike-Type (Swordpower – Heavy Class)
ENEMY 2: Ness-Type (Psychic Range + Tricky Knockback)
"Ah, they're not joking."
Ness hovered in place, already getting ready to PK Fire. Ike unsheathed his sword.
Mac-Zero cracked his neck. "We strike now or we're out. I head left."
"Copy that."
[SYNC BOND: 12% → 14%]
We charged forward as a team.
I charged at Ness, sneaking under his searing arc and unloading him with a Boomerang Toss. It slammed his side and sent him staggering.
Mac-Zero charged into Ike with a silky dash uppercut, sending the swordman reeling.
Ness tried to counterattack with a PK Thunder, but I flipped up over the bolt into a spring and drove down my kick at the apex—dead-center into his face.
[FLIP JUMP – DIRECT HIT]
[+0.03 AGILITY | +0.01 STRENGTH | +0.02 TECHNIQUE]
Ike roared, charging up a smash, but Mac-Zero used a feint jab, slipped under the blade, and nailed a body blow that sent him skidding back.
We regrouped mid-stage, backs nearly touching.
I looked over my shoulder. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Yes," he said. "Sync technique?"
"Do it."
[SYNC COMBO INITIATED — "Tag Breaker"]
I activated my Ink Bomb to the forefront while Mac-Zero tele-dashed behind me. The bomb burst, spewing ink all over Ike—freezing him just long enough for Mac-Zero to tele-dash right through me like a ghost CPU, rising into a charged straight punch—
I followed up with a Charge Shot while keeping in rhythm with his beat.
Both hit at the same time.
BOOM.
The two opponents were knocked off of the stage.
Double KO.
[VICTORY]
[Objective Complete]
[SYNC BOND: 25% REACHED]
[BONUS OBJECTIVE COMPLETED – JOINT Finisher ACQUIRED]
Rewards Earned:
+1 Stat Point (Assignable)
+3% System XP towards Lv. 6
New Skill Unlocked: [Duo Assist Command – Lv. 1]
Allows mid-battle command inputs for Subordinate to carry out assigned actions or hold positions.
And back to my apartment again.
The lights flickered back on. My carpet once more lay under me. The blinds on the window floated gently in the wind.
Mac-Zero stood leaning against my bed, arms crossed.
"That was efficient," he said.
Yea, I said, still trying to catch my breath, my heart pounding. "But now I see how much we can actually go."
I dug out my stats.
Time to use that point.