Return of Overthinker

Chapter 5

Howard towered over me, a giant compared to my own stature. At 24 years old, he, along with Al and Tom from his gang, were intimidating figures. I, much younger than them, seemed like an easy target for their bullying. With a rough grip, Howard grabbed my clothes and dragged me back to the gym. He threw me into the hall with a force, cause a painful to my bone and body, that reminded me of the knock-out blow he had delivered just yesterday.

As I lay on the gym floor, Howard stripped off his shirt, ready to launch another attack. Anger surged within me. "Do you think it's fun to bully a weak guy like me, coward?" I challenged, my voice a mixture of rage and defiance. In my previous life, they had bullied me relentlessly for six months, only stopping after I moved to another research facility.

I remembered the reports I had read about them on the front lines. These reports spoke of how they would sacrifice new, powerless recruits to monsters, using them as mere bait.

Howard, with his strength ability, was destined for military success, as he was one of the early ability users who understood his power. That made him the leader of the new superhumans. However, his leadership was marred by arrogance and a penchant for bullying, which often resulted in the unnecessary deaths of his subordinates.

After a decade of military service marked by the loss of many under his command, Howard's reign of terror came to an abrupt end. He was executed under military law for accidentally killing a general's son.

"What did you say?" Howard asked, his disbelief evident in his tone.

“How about we make a deal for a real fight? You and me – the loser surrenders everything to the winner?” I proposed, my voice steady despite the tension in the air.

Howard paused for a second, taken aback. “Tom, Al, is that Alex speaking?” he asked, turning to his companions for confirmation.

Al and Tom chuckled at my proposition. “He just wants to die quickly,” Tom added with a smirk.

“So, are we making a deal or not?” I challenged him, raising my right hand for handshake confidently.

“If you really want to die, I’ll gladly oblige,” Howard responded arrogantly, smacking my right hand with force. As our hands connected, a resonant voice echoed around us, declaring, [The pact is sealed]. Howard's expression flickered with shock upon hearing it.

Seizing the moment, I turned to Al and Tom. “How about we make the same deal? You and me – a fight where the loser gives everything to the winner?” I asked, my gaze shifting between them.

“You?” Howard interjected angrily, “Why bother with them if you’re going to die by my hand?”

“I’m concerned they might run away after I defeat you,” I replied with a smirk, stepping towards Tom and raising my right hand. “So, I need to make a deal with them now. Tom, do we have a deal?”

Tom responded by slapping my cheek. “Of course, it's a deal! If you’re so eager to meet your end,” he sneered.

"Pact is sealed," the voice announced again. "As long as he touched me, it is counted as agreed."

I then locked eyes with Al. “How about you, Al?”

“What’s gotten into this crazy kid?” Al scoffed. “Of course, it’s a deal.” With that, he delivered a swift kick to my stomach, which I allowed to connect.

[Pact is sealed], echoed the voice once more, sealing the fate of our agreements.

Having secured three deals, I was ready to reveal the formidable nature of my pact maker ability – an ability considered almost cheating and taboo.

With a decisive movement, I removed my shirt, throwing it aside. "Let's fight. Who's first?" I called out, my voice resonating with challenge.

Howard, with his imposing physique, was the first to charge at me. His power was 20 times stronger than mine, a daunting disparity. However, I had mastered an essential skill vital for survival - Aikido, a martial art that emphasizes using an opponent's strength against them. This discipline was particularly suited for someone of my lesser physical strength.

Activating my overthinking ability, I heightened my observational skills to the point where Howard's movements appeared to slow down. This allowed me to easily predict and counter his attacks.

As Howard lunged with a right-hand strike, putting all his might into the blow, I prepared to use his own force against him. Quickly, I moved, grasping his right arm with both of mine, made a turn with my waist, I executed a precise back throw. Howard's strength focuses on his right hand made him particularly vulnerable to this maneuver. As he lost his balance and became airborne, I controlled his trajectory, guiding his right arm towards the floor.

In practice, we would typically redirect such a throw to ensure our partner's head was protected upon impact. But in this instance, I deliberately altered the direction, forcefully causing Howard's head to hit the floor first.

At the sound of the heavy impact, Howard's head, propelled by the momentum of his own large frame, struck the floor with a sickening thud. The stillness of his body suggested a severe injury, possibly a broken neck.

Turning to face Tom and Al, I asked coolly, “How about you two? Will you come at me one by one, or together?”

Without hesitation, Tom lunged at me, aware of my back throw.

Swiftly, I grabbed his right hand and pulled it behind me, causing him to lurch forward, throwing off his balance. Then, seizing the opportunity, I struck his exposed neck. It didn't require superhuman strength to target someone's neck; a precise hit, especially with his body's momentum moving forward, could be devastating. Tom collapsed, his back hitting the floor hard.

Al, attempting to capitalize on my engagement with Tom, launched a powerful kick towards me. In response, I countered by kicking his other leg that connected on the floor. Even though I took the brunt of his kick, my kick caused him to lose balance and fall. Quickly, I applied a chokehold.

"I give up," Al gasped, struggling for air. As I stood, Tom was still struggling to breathe. So I kicked his face, causing him to faint.

And here was the scary thing about a pact deal.

The eerie voice announced, [You win the fight, you will take everything of them]. In a surreal moment, their bodies vanished, leaving behind only their clothes.

A surge of energy flooded through me. It was as if unlimited power was infusing my body, enhancing my muscles, densifying my bones, and even adding to my height. I could feel every cell in my body rejuvenating, proof of the terrifying potency of the pact maker ability.

I gathered the clothes of Howard, Al, and Tom, disposing of them in the garbage. Then, I made my way to my dormitory, feeling a need to cleanse myself, although the surge of energy coursing through me had eradicated any sense of fatigue.

'Where are Howard, Al, and Tom now?'

Their abilities must have manifested on my back, as their essence transformed into pure strength, vitality, and life energy that had merged with my being. This process seemed akin to a devouring ability, yet it required mutual agreement from both parties involved.

Upon entering the dormitory, I noted the absence of my roommates. Given our significant age differences - they were around 30, 35, and 42 years old, while I was much younger - we were more cohabitants than friends. The room was empty; they had likely gone to the cafeteria for breakfast.

I headed into the bathroom, eager for the comfort of hot water. 'I don’t remember what Tom and Al's abilities were. I need to check my back,' I thought. After showering, I fetched a small mirror to view the symbols that had appeared on my back. Positioning it opposite the large mirror, I caught a glimpse of the new marks. My photographic memory would ensure they were permanently etched in my mind for later analysis.

Before I could delve further into these new abilities, the doorbell to my dormitory room rang. Wrapped only in a towel, I opened the door to find a man, about 35 years old, staring at me intently.

"I know what you did in the gym," he said with a piercing gaze and ill intent. "I want your abilities. And everything. Or I'll report you."