First Record In His Files

Kim Jisoo became a constant person that appears when I'm off-work. Haven't seen much of Nance, Jon, Timotei, and the others lately. They were so busy with their lives that it was hard to contact them unless they were free. Didn't think much of it since it was not so surprising that they aren't always at my beck and call.

Jisoo however was seriously guarding me. She is a woman of few words. Her aloofness and natural quiet demeanor made it quite hard for me to talk to her. Nonetheless, for some odd reason, I was able to manage my interactions with her to the point that we became somewhat friendly. Truth be told, I was relying on my knowledge from a previous world to get the right words.

Because of this I was able to somewhat develop a much friendlier relationship with Jisoo more than the folks I've met. I've put a lot of effort into doing so since she's a very dangerous and pretty existence.

And among the Augmented folks. She's the only one who was relatively normal and reasonable. The arrogant and unbridled because in their minds they have become what they call 'Peak Human' but the thing is that I was a peak human, while they are themselves Augmented. I was natural while they were unnatural.

Jisoo had decided to test me. She wore a sports bra and sports spats. Showing her tummy and bare shoulders, which made me freeze up to the point that I threw myself into third-person to protect myself from showing foolishness. And that I don't have to worry about her calling me out while staring at her black red hair tied in a ponytail.

"You are a strange person."

"Am I? Anyway, what are we going to do?"

"Fight."

She struck her right arm. I raised my left to block her. Positioned my right side ready to counter. I countered with a straight punch. She dodged it narrowly. She made a sweep of her legs. I jumped over her kick, twisted my body for a roundhouse kick.

She grabbed my ankle. I proceeded to drop and kick her. Once she lets go of my ankle. I remained in my stance. My health recently hasn't decreased and as long as her attack does not surpass my defense. I could withstand her blows and not lose health points. One of the other reasons that I'm associating with Jisoo was to test my body to its limits.

My fighting reached the Boogeyman level. I avoided fighting seriously, but only until now that I started to understand how dangerous I could be. When I activate my bullet time, my dead eyed vision shows lethal spots, traces and everything that could be of use to me. I could kill Jisoo if I punch her just below her throat. It scared me how easily visible to me the weak spots of anyone.

"You're distracted?"

She tried to punch me in the abdomen. I raised my knee to block her strike, then twisted my lower body to do a kick. She easily blocked it. Her reflexes are outstanding and if anything as a master swordswoman this was expected.

"You sure like twisting yourself for a kick."

"It's not a habit. And fighting Augmented folks has told me that it's better to have finesse since you seem well-versed in them."

She checked her forearm.

"Are you really sure that you aren't Augmented?"

"Told you that I'm not. If anything I'm simply naturally strong."

"Then you must be quite a prodigy."

Her expression remained solid. She took her stance once more and tried to hit me. Without the bullet time I could still keep up. If anything, the more I exchange blows with her, the more I feel closer to the 'Boogeyman' that was staring inside of me.

Still I couldn't take a step into the place where Boogeyman was. Then it came to me that unlike my other skills. The Boogeyman was not allowing me to take the last step. It's because of that line I don't want to cross.

The Getaway Master had filled its desire when I flew that bullion of gold. The rest of my abilities are somewhat satisfied. Only the Boogeyman and the Ghost were unwilling to lend the final step to me. I came to understand this naturally. Like knowing that there's something wrong with my body.

Even as I watch in my third-person form. My body remained able to defend and attack as I pressed the imaginary buttons in my head. Even though she was moving at quite a good speed. I was able to defend and counter Jisoo. She stopped attacking. Still in her fighting stance. She had worked up quite a sweat. Her white skin shimmering as the light of the gym reflected her. The trace of sweat on her sports bra and spats made… awfully tempting to look at.

My spectating ghost was swooning while my body remained stoic. She was looking at me with a heavy frown. Then she examined her forearms once more and nodded.

"It seems that you are undoubtedly superior to me in unarmed combat. Should we try fighting with wooden swords?"

"I don't think I'm as capable as you."

"Enough. Just do what I say and shut up!"

It surprised me. She released a trace of anger that I haven't seen before. If anything it made me curious why in God's name was she so eager to fight me using swords? Ah, is it because I've been doing well against her in unarmed combat? If so then it means that I provoke something in her.

That combatant pride was showing and I think I landed myself into quite a predicament. Kim Jisoo, despite all the weapons she could have, prided herself in close quarter combat. And now being soundly matched by some driver must have made her quite furious or her ego has quite been hurt.

I don't think any excuses will do here. Even if I do throw the fight. It'll be just nothing more than an insult to me. And looking at it now. It seems that I have no choice, but to fight it out.

***

Kim Jisoo had been trying to figure Nikolai Orlov out. Ever since she reported this case to her superiors. They were interested in the sudden change that happened to this reticent man. Orlov's files were made to observe his behaviors and history in the past. Nonetheless all they found was a normal history. Of course there was a turning point that changed this man.

A failed execution by the Lintons.

Kim Jisoo thought he was using drugs or any augments. Nonetheless research had told her that there was no such thing. Even the tests that had covertly been done showed nothing more than a healthy body at its peak. Then again there was a chance that his history was simply clean or that he was hiding something.

For the past few days she had been hanging out with him. Kim Jisoo thought of him as a person who knew how to talk too much. A good listener and sometimes a man of few words. She felt calm. She thought of him better as the days passed, and even looked forward to hanging out with him.

Strong, silent, and terrifying was the right thing to describe him. Nonetheless he was held back by his moral code. And that moral code was to not kill. She thought of testing his combat capabilities today and even though she had seen him fight.

Fighting him in unarmed combat was troublesome. He knew how to counter her and if anything he was getting sharper. She felt that he was holding back in some way. That there was a step he couldn't take. And that step was the line he wasn't willing to cross.

"Are you ready?"

Kim Jisoo asked. Nikolai held his sparring sword and took a stance. It was a comfortable stance with his guard off. Kim Jisoo started with a straight thrust. He moved his sword with his wrist, then parried it to the side before moving in, and then moving the bottom of his blade to her chest. She blocked the attack, and then made use of her slender legs to make him back off.

She breathed in and took a swing that brought a shockwave. He tried to dodge the swing, but he was thrown off. She felt ashamed using her augmented body, but on the other hand she felt like there was nothing she could do other than that.

He smiled recklessly. A vein popped and she swung far more recklessly than ever. Each strike should have rattled his bones, but nonetheless his stoic smile remained. Her cheeks flushing red, she continued attacking, before ridding her head of anything other than winning.

Each strike was semi-deadly. Each blow was focused on hurting the opponent. He wasn't much of a swordsman and he had no techniques. However his way of fighting was practiced and was focused on defending and countering.

He wasn't so strong like the other Augmented and Mutants she had the displeasure of knowing. Nonetheless he was a fair competent combatant that could keep up with her without Augments and Mutations from super formulas.

"Damn it you're good at it," he said tonelessly.

"I don't feel your sincerity."

"Come on, I think I'm losing. You're barely out of breath!"

"I could say the same. How about we make it harder?"

He raised a brow.

"Fine, if I get injured please pay the bills for the hospital and take responsibility."

Kim Jisoo nodded and struck with her blade. He barely defended himself and then he showed that dilated look on his face. His eyes grew sharp and smaller as he deftly avoided her blows and moved in.

He switched from defending and countering to attacking recklessly. Each of his strikes was focused and lethal. If it was a real blade she would have acted fiercer. Nonetheless, he was not a proper swordsman and she herself showed a difference.

Her strike brought his sword down. She thought she got him this time, but nonetheless he took the broken parts of his sword and defended himself before she could land a strike. It was a masterful defense. She swung her sword in attempt to land a blow on him when he used his right leg to throw other broken part and defended himself again.

She felt her heart beat madly at such finesse. She took a step back and went to her normal stance.

"You are quite adept in swordplay. Are you sure that you haven't learned swordsmanship?"

"I know how to fight. Is there a difference?"

"There is. If you've known it well then you'd be able to easily fend me off."

"I say bullshit. You were fast and I was too slow to react with your strokes."

"It's a matter of experience. I see it clearly that you are not so adept in fighting people with melee weapons. If anything you are far more efficient in using your bare hands than holding a sword."

"Thanks for the compliment," he said while shaking his hand. "I feel beat."

"You don't look like you worked up a sweat, even."

Nikolai lifted his shirt, showing his upper body. He was built with a perfectly sculpted adonis golden ratio. Noticing her stare, he raised a brow.

"What is it?"

"I'm surprised that you're able to keep a body like that despite your unhealthy lifestyle."

"What's wrong with my lifestyle?"

"It's unhealthy. Steak and fries everyday?"

"Hmm, I can't help it. Besides, I think I know my body well enough."

"That so? A shame if you lose such… body."

He put his shirt down. Kim Jisoo unconsciously clicked her tongue which made her slowly turn towards Nikolai. Nikolai however gave a smug smile before stretching his overperformed limbs.

"So is this satisfactory? Or do I have to continue more tests to determine that I'm not augmented?"

"This is enough. I know your standard now."

She could conclude that he was not an augmented like. But an anomaly among the people she had met. Kim Jisoo thought she could finally give her report and get Nikolai Orlov's files to her superiors and give him a clear.