The two boys made their way to the park at a quick pace and, rather than going in through the main gate, Mako walked on the sidewalk along the park's fence.
Seeing as Mako already had the destination in mind, Bill decided not to question him and just follow him wherever he might lead him.
After almost completing a full circle around the perimeter of the park, Mako went through a small entrance that was made into the fence of the park there, as it almost looked as if a hole was cut open within the rebar frame of the fence, just big enough to let a normal person through.
Going in, Bill noticed that this part of the park was cut off from the rest of the park by huge bushes, as the hole in the fence was the only entrance to this place.
"We have arrived," Mako said as he stopped near an old oak tree while staring at a small piece of rock that was in front of him.
At first, Bill didn't understand what was so special about this place, but that all changed when Bill's eyes landed on what was engraved onto the stone.
{ BELOVED GRANDMOTHER }
{ AMY GREY }
{ 2478 - 2596 }
This was Mako's grandmother's grave.
Mako started to clean all the dust and leaves that had fallen on the tombstone, while quietly saying something to himself that Bill assumed could have been some prayer, but he didn't ask, as it wasn't his position to do so.
After cleaning the grave, and placing new flowers next to it that he had bought from Aunt Marie back at Bird's Eye street before he had met up with Bill at the bakery, Mako proceeded to sit in silence next to the grave for a couple of minutes before finally wiping his tears and getting up to leave.
Bill knew it was a sensitive topic, so he didn't bother speaking while Mako sat in silence, looking at his grandmother's grave, and stood there until Mako was done.
Mako tried to come to visit his grandmother's grave at least once a month and just remember all those beautiful moments he had with his grandmother, and he would often cry but this time his tears were for another reason altogether as he knew this would probably be the last time he would visit her grave for a while as the recruitment test was only a few weeks away and he would have to move by then.
During the remainder of the walk back home, Bill and Mako didn't converse much, but before they arrived at the front door, Bill built up the courage to finally say something to Mako.
"Your grandmother has a very beautiful grave, she must have been a very important and loving person..." Bill managed to muster the strength and say.
"Yeah, she was... It was her wish to be buried under that tree in the park. The park keeper was a good friend of hers and arranged everything for her burial there. I like to visit her every so often so she doesn't get lonely."
Unable to hold back, Bill started crying out, "Listen, I am so... so sorry about the things that I said about her before. I didn't mean a single word that I said."
Bill began to frantically apologize to Mako again, to which Mako just smiled as he recalled one of the main things that his grandmother taught her, and that was...
"It's alright, man, as my Gran-Gran used to say, forgive and forget!" Mako said as he recalled a very fond memory of him hugging his grandmother in the most loving manner imaginable.
'I don't deserve your kindness, Mako, and even if it takes me a thousand years, I will pay you back for the generosity and mercy you have given me.' Bill made a mental vow that he intended to keep till his last breath as he heard what Mako replied to his apology.
The boys arrived home and went to their separate rooms to freshen up.
*****************
For the following few days, Mako and Bill had fallen into a steady routine.
Each afternoon, once their regular chores were done, they'd spar deep in the forest, testing each other's limits, refining their moves, and pushing their abilities further. Then, as the sun went down, they would head into the city to look for illegal fights.
These underground matches were dangerous, but they were also one of the only ways for unregistered ability users like them to earn money fast, and more importantly, to gain the kind of real combat experience Mako would need if he hoped to stand a chance against the opponents waiting for him in the recruitment test.
Initially, Bill wanted to take it slow. He figured they'd dip their toes in slowly, tracking down low-tier street fights, Level 1 or 2 events that popped up in alleys, parking lots, or abandoned parks across the city. But on their first night, they showed up at a cracked and abandoned underpass only to find nothing but graffiti and silence. No crowd, no fight.
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Disappointed but undeterred, the boys tried again the next evening. This time, they were in luck.
At a dead-end street behind a warehouse, a crowd had gathered, and a sanctioned Level 2 fight was already underway. Despite being illegal, these fights followed a bizarre sort of order. Matches were divided by power levels: Level 1, Level 2, and so on.
It was a crude but necessary system. Even among criminals and rogue ability users, no one wanted to see a Level 4 tear apart someone half their power. There was no thrill, no skill, and certainly no betting money in a one-sided massacre.
Unfortunately for Mako and Bill, their auras made it obvious they were Level 3 ability users, which immediately disqualified them from participating. All they could do was stand on the sidelines, watching as fists flew, abilities clashed, and credits exchanged hands.
At this rate, they were going nowhere. They needed money, and more than that, they needed real fights.
"We can't keep watching from the sidelines," Mako muttered under his breath as he used Analyze to study the match. "Do you know any high-profile fights? Anything above Level 2?"
Bill hesitated. His body stiffened slightly, and his usual smirk faltered.
"There's one," he admitted. "But it's not exactly the kind of place you stroll into for fun."
Mako turned toward him. "We're not doing this for fun. Those candidates in the recruitment test aren't going to pull punches. We need to close the gap, Bill. Whatever it takes."
After a moment, Bill sighed, "Alright, fine. There's a spot. Not under El Diablo's territory, so it's relatively safer. They host real fights. Level 3s. Sometimes stronger. It's risky, but if you're serious about this... we might actually make some decent coin there."
And with that, a new plan was set.
The next day, they trained with a new fire in their hearts.
The next day, before the sun went down, they were already back in the forest, picking up where their last spar had left off.
A massive chunk of earth was lifted from the ground and shattered mid-air into a swarm of stone projectiles, launching toward Mako.
Unleashing his Fire ability, Mako blasted away most of the incoming stones by spamming a couple of fireballs, spaced equally apart, and then used his agility and perception to dodge through the remaining few projectiles, using Phantom Shift only when necessary to completely avoid the attack.
"Tch! AAARRGHH! Stay still, will you?!" Bill shouted in frustration, slamming his foot down as the ground shifted beneath him.
Mako smirked. He was already pivoting from defense to offense, dashing forward. He conjured two fireballs in his palms before he hurled them at the ground near Bill's feet.
The resulting blasts kicked up a thick cloud of dust and debris, turning the battlefield into a smokescreen.
'I still can't break through his defense head-on... but if he can't see where the attack's coming from, it won't matter.' Mako thought, circling Bill's blind spot.
Just as Mako entered striking range, the air around him shimmered.
[Flame Wheel has been activated]
A spinning arc of fire formed around his arm as he swung it forward. Bill's vision was blurred, but his instincts hadn't dulled. He could feel the sizzling heat through the haze and reacted instantly.
With a stomp, the ground beneath him surged upward. A wall of stone shot up, intercepting the attack just in time. The Flame Wheel blasted the barrier but failed to break through.
Bill coughed and waved dust from his face, grinning. "You're getting sharper... Good job."
Mako stepped out of the smokescreen, brushing the dust off his clothes. "You too. That wall came up faster than last time."
As the sun dipped below the horizon and night settled in, the boys called it. It was time to move.
"Still sure you wanna go through with this?" Bill asked as they walked back through the trees. "We screw this up, and there won't be just trouble... We're talking serious consequences."
Mako clenched his fist. "I've thought it through. If we want to stand a chance in that recruitment test... this is the only way."
"Alright then," Bill said with a half-smile.
Using one of the rejuvenating pills, they quickly recovered all of their energy; they were going to need it for tonight.
They made their way once again into the city, sticking to back roads and alleyways to avoid being seen. By this time, Bill had taken on a completely different look. Gone was his curly, wild ginger hair, which was replaced by hair dyed jet black. He wore a dark hoodie and a plain black face mask covering his lower face.
If someone looked carefully, they might still recognize his eyes or the way he walked, but the disguise worked well enough for what they needed.
Mako wore a similar outfit, a hoodie and face mask for anonymity, but unlike Bill's dark, low-profile look, his clothes were a bold mix of red, orange, and black. Unfortunately, they were the only decent clothes he had left, and ironically, the fiery colors matched his ability a little too well, making him stand out more than he'd like.
It wasn't just about hiding from guards or gang members. In this world, names and faces could get you killed, so tonight, they weren't Bill and Mako.
The two boys arrived at their destination after another fifteen minutes. They were standing in front of the front gate of one of the most luxurious hotels in Emerald City.
Walking in, it looked as if Mako was entering heaven. Right past the main gates was a beautiful statue of some mighty warrior, polished with gold.
"So this is the Emperium Hotel," Mako said as he took in all the wonders and absorbed every detail while they made their way to the main lobby.
Mako let Bill handle all the talking as he spoke a secret code to the receptionist. The receptionist handed him an elevator card that only had access to a specific floor.
Getting into the elevator, Bill swiped the card, and the elevator was off on its way.
The Emperium Hotel was very massive with a total of 80 floors, as the floor they were going to was near the very top, on floor 79.
As Mako stepped out, he expected the same sleek, upscale aesthetic he had seen in the lobby, but what greeted him was a complete letdown.
The floor was nothing more than rough concrete, and the entire level was open with no walls, just a wide space held up by thick support columns. It looked more like an unfinished parking structure than a fight venue. Still, it was alive with energy. Crowds gathered in clusters around different zones, and the air buzzed with constant cheering and shouting.
This was one of the many underground fight events hosted in rotating locations across the city, a scene Bill knew well. Back when he worked under El Diablo, this had been one of his regular gigs. As a rookie fighter, he'd made a name for himself online, even earning a reputation for taking down low-level Level 3 users with ease despite his young age.
Mako cracked his knuckles and grinned, already walking toward the registration booth set up beside the announcer's table.
"Time to get to work," he said, his eyes fixed ahead.
**************************
Author's Note: Hey guys! Universal Power System is one of my favorite projects, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. This is my very first work, so expect some amateur writing and a few slips. However, I always try to learn and correct myself so I can create a more coherent narrative. I hope you guys enjoy it. Don't forget to check out my other works!
Come say hi to me on Discord: https://discord.gg/TvjkrdnbE2