School just let out and Zoey was now jogging her way to the main part of town. No Mom to question her about her motives and objectives. Just a girl with a plan to do something incredibly dangerous without wanting to feel guilty about making people worry about her physical or mental health. There was one point in her life where her parents thought she had Asperger's or autism because of her behavior. At the time, she thought it was more funny than anything because Zoey knew that she didn’t have a mental disability. It was just that she sucked so much ass at talking to people that her parents thought she had a disability. That was the funny part to her. The sad part was desperately convincing them that she didn’t need to be tested if she had either of the two disorders. Because once she got tested and the kids from her school learned about it, she would’ve been treated as if she had it no matter what result she got.

“I guess I should actually start making some friends huh...” Zoey muttered.

The easiest way she could do that was by joining one of the girl’s sports teams. Zoey just realized that she just jogged all the way from school to the main part of downtown and was barely tired at all. Like she just did a few warmup exercises. Feeling the new changes in her body filled her with a confidence she never really had before. Maybe joining the track team would be good.

‘It’s like I'm on top of the world and everyone is my bitch! Hehehe...’

Zoey didn’t know how bad the situation was in the city with gang-related activity. So, while she was looking for trouble, she was also just looking through the town on her own. Since she came with the intention of fighting, Zoey didn’t bring her wallet or anything else that could identify herself. Just her backup pair of boxing gloves that were dark blue in color and standard workout clothes.

Knowing that she would look like a freak or a psycho wearing a mask or costume in broad daylight, Zoey just didn’t bother. She lived pretty far away from this part of the city so, if anyone found her, they shouldn’t be able to find out where she lives unless they’re really desperate. And as long as she doesn’t go around giving people her personal details, they can’t get to her family. Any cars or people following her back home would easily be seen by her. This wasn’t a social trip but one of pure selfish gain. If Zoey wanted to spin it on a more positive note, she could say that she was cleaning up the city.

“Have you heard about what they did to that fool, Markus?”

“Yeah man. Shit’s fucked up nowadays. A man can’t even take a piss without getting jumped.”

“I heard it was because he was saying all that shit about Dino online.”

“Messing with that crazy fucker Dino?! He had to be wasted. Everyone knows Dino don’t play around. If you get on his bad side, you’re dead or fucked. Sometimes it's both.”

“It isn’t like Dino is the only one to worry about. There is still Tears and Lamar with their people in the city. Shit’s just getting more dangerous every day.”

“There should be a huge war sometime soon. I think we should get out of this before things really start to escalate.”

“It’s already gone to fuck bro. Either we survive and pray to get out by the end of it or die trying.”

“Man, I was just trying to make some money for my mom and sisters. I wasn’t out here trying to kill nobody! I’m only fucking 17 man! There is some shit I shouldn’t have to deal with right now.”

“I feel you bro, I really do. School sucks ass but constantly fearing for my own life and the life of my peoples is what really sucks ass. If I knew that this is what gang life would really be like, I would’ve never joined no matter how much money I could make.”

The two guys soon left out of earshot. Her legs shook and her face flushed after hearing their words. An uncontrollable feeling of excitement danced through her body. She was about to get into something really really dangerous and here she was feeling thrilled about it. Gaining this status box has really changed her and she didn’t know if it was a good thing or not. It was hard believing that it was a bad thing because of how much she smiled lately and how much her heart fluttered when it came to fighting or improving herself. Before gaining the box, she rarely expressed herself this much or tried hard at anything.

Walking through the city filled with only a few people walking here and there made her feel like she was in some sort of ghost town. Gang members were posted around liquor stores, in alleyways, and walking about, like herself. None of them were causing trouble or anything like that though. So, she couldn’t just run up to them and start beating the shit out of them for literally nothing. Zoey would only deal with those disturbing the peace or causing crime. She would feel less like a psycho if she did that.

As she was about to pass by a small café, Zoey saw a group of boys near her age coming out of it laughing with each other. Seeing how happy and light their mood was, she walked past them without a second thought. They couldn’t be gang members looking like that. They looked like a bunch of pretty boys.

“Oi. Shorty with a booty. Come back here and holla at me for a moment.” She was the only shorty around unless he was talking about his short friend next to him.

A faint blush appeared on her face after being complimented on her behind. She was pretty proud of it. Getting her ass to pop like this wasn’t easy, she looked up plenty of butt exercises online to do at home. And it looks like that shit was working. Zoey turned around but didn’t go near them.

“Didn’t you hear me? Come here! And what the fuck is with those boxing gloves? You crazy or something?”

Zoey shook her head and was laughing on the inside at the pretty boy trying to intimidate her. He was dressed like a wannabe gangster. Sagging his pants, chains around his neck, too many shiny rings on his fingers, it was hilarious. She had enough sense to not laugh in his face though, no matter how much she really wanted to.

“Did this bitch just tell me no? Does she not know who I am?”

Zoey shook her head again.

“To think there was someone who didn’t know Miles’s name in this part of the city...”

“She must not be from around here.”

“Especially looking like that.”

‘Hey, fuckface! I still have ears you know! What the fuck is wrong with how I look?!’ Zoey was getting upset.

“I’ll be leaving now.” Zoey turned and walked away.

“Get her.” Hearing this sent goosebumps up Zoey’s arms. A nervous smile slowly formed on her face.

Get her? What was his plan here? Just because she didn’t know him, he had to get her? This had to fall within self-defense laws, right? So, it shouldn’t be a problem to let scumbags like this feel the results of her practicing in the name of self-defense. But if Zoey was being honest, she was more than happy to escalate this. Even if these little wannabes were not really her target for today.

Zoey turned around and saw the 5 boys coming after her. She got into her boxing stance and readied herself for a fight. Her heart started beating like a furious drum in her nervousness and excitement. The first one tried to grab her with his arms outstretched. A quick jab to the face and he stumbled backwards in confusion with blood leaking from his nose. Zoey knew she didn’t have much time since the other 4 could soon surround her. Feeling her fist sink into the first guy’s face like that was enough to rev up her engines.

She followed up her jab with a quick step-in and a nasty right hook to the left side of his face that sent his eyes spiraling in their sockets. He fell down and the second one came, shocked at the sudden defeat of his friend. Zoey moved in and struck him in his fat gut. This was the one who dissed her earlier. The wind was blown out of him from that punch, forcing him to hold his stomach from the pain and drop to the ground, also allowing her an easy target to reach. Her fist soaring straight into his fat chubby jaw knocking him into the goon behind him and falling over.

At this point, the 2 still standing realized that she wouldn’t be as easy as they thought she would be. Those boxing gloves weren’t just for show. They circled around her like a pair of wolves. One on her left and the other on her right. She saw them look at each other with a nod before moving in together. The boy on her left threw a sloppy punch that could easily be dealt with but at the same time, the boy on the right was running in to grab her. This wouldn’t be easy to avoid.

‘Why wait for them to come to me?’ She questioned herself

Zoey used her small size to her advantage and slipped past the less dangerous boy on the left. As she got behind him, she struck him in the liver twice with her gloves causing him to scream out in pain. Seeing that her tiny fists were actually working, she continued to let into him while his back was turned to her before the other one could arrive. By the time the boy on the right came, the boy who was on her left was already on the ground clutching his side while groaning heavily.

“Can’t you fucking idiots take care of one fucking girl? Those gloves can’t possibly fucking hurt as much as you’re making them out to be. Look at the size of her! She’s half your fucking sizes and you can’t even touch her!” Miles cursed.

These words filled the boy in front of her with panic. She used that panic to her advantage and moved in real close. With how close she was to him, the only way he could deal with her was by grabbing her. Too bad for him, she was already in motion to punch him. Or at least that was the only way she thought that he could deal with her was by grabbing her.

He actually kneed her away in fright. Luckily, she managed to block with her arms. If he was able to knee her with full force, her arms probably would’ve gone numb.

“Shit...” She muttered. The legs.

She forgot people could use those in real fights. To quickly make up for her mistake, she dashed towards him again. He was ready this time but it made no difference for Zoey. This guy wasn’t Zack or one of the other boxers from her gym who had plenty of fights under them. Just a guy who threw simple punches that could be seen a mile away.

Zoey parried his punch with her glove and fixed him up with a blow to the side of the face as he was thrown off balance from her parry. He fell down with an undignified fall and Zoey still had 2 more guys to deal with. The guy who was taken down with the fat ass earlier and the ringleader, Miles. It looked like the blondie on the ground didn’t want anything to do with her after seeing her take out the other guys. So, she made her way towards Miles.

The arrogant smirk on his face from earlier was completely gone and now was replaced with anxiety and fear. Zoey didn’t pity him. He was too old to not know that his actions have consequences. Especially when trying to assault an innocent young lady with a nice booty.

“Stay back!” He brandished a knife from his pocket and pointed it in her direction.

Zoey’s eyes zeroed in on that knife like a hawk. Seeing her suddenly stop must have made him think that she was regretting her decisions now. He started laughing and waving it in her direction.

“What, scared now bitch!? You shouldn’t have messed with me! Now it looks like I gotta fucking cut you up!” It was obvious he had no idea how to use a knife.

This didn’t make him any less dangerous. A knife is dangerous no matter who holds it. The safest option would be to just run away and deal with him another day. But then again, he definitely wouldn’t be the only one to pull a knife out on her in the future. Dealing with someone like this might be considered training for the future.

“Oi, bitch!? Are you fucking deaf?! I said get on your knees and start fucking bowing to me!” Zoey unintentionally let out a chortle. He just looked so silly.

He didn’t like that one bit. The wannabe gangster ran at her with the knife to cut her. Zoey was terrified but outwardly it didn’t show much. In her mind, she was reasoning just how scary could a knife be in the face of actual magic? That helped her calm down just a little. Her skill Focus activated in times of peril. A moment like this certainly counted as one of those two criteria.

Miles was in slow motion for her as he slashed at her face. Zoey swayed her upper body to the left and at that unnatural angle, delivered a powerful punch to Miles’s wrist. Forcing him to drop the knife and nearly burst into tears. But Zoey wasn’t done yet. Not by a long shot.

The young black girl knocked Miles to the ground with her shoulder and mounted him. His face was ugly and he was crying by this point but Zoey didn’t care. He could’ve blinded her, scarred her face, or killed her! If she didn’t unleash this fear in her heart at having a knife used against her, she felt like she would explode. Zoey brutally pounded Miles’s face in with her boxing gloves. He begged for mercy. He begged for forgiveness. He tried enticing her with money. None of those things could make up for the fear of death she felt facing against that knife.

Punch after punch after punch. She didn’t hold back any of her strength which was now superior to any normal woman’s. Zoey’s fists could contend with male amateur boxers after getting her body stat to 1.0. In her mind, she imagined it to equal to the same as a normal adult man’s strength because women are naturally weaker than men. And she used to be even weaker than the normal girl due to not ever exercising except when forced to at school along with her unhealthy eating habits.

Blood flew onto her face from one particularly devasting punch, and she only smiled seeing the strength she now held in her body. Was she always such a blood-crazed lunatic? They say that power corrupts and Zoey was starting to think that maybe she was getting corrupted into something she would’ve never had without the Status Box. But in her heart, she didn’t feel that this was a bad thing at all. She liked this new Zoey she was slowly becoming.

By the time she was done giving him his due punishment, his face was black, blue, swollen, and bloody. Zoey got up off the unconscious Miles and wiped the sweat from her forehead with a bright smile on her face. She was tired as shit and couldn’t wait to get home! The remaining survivor watched as she jogged her way down the street and out of sight.

‘Today was a pretty productive day.’ Zoey beamed.

Everything but her blocking skill went up a level along with her body stat going up some! A squeal escaped her mouth once she realized she was right. This was the proper way of advancing with the Status! And those guys were basically nothing compared to real gangsters who know how to fight somewhat.

‘Maybe if I farm up those guys till I can’t get any more exp from them, I should move on to the real gangsters!’ But then something crossed her mind.

‘But finding guys like that would be hard. There couldn’t be a bunch of groups like Miles running around could there? I wonder what school he goes to. Maybe I can find more groups like his there.’