[The Super Viliny System informs the host that he has jinxed himself.]

  No, really? You don't say!

  The outfits of the four people are undeniably the same as the the ones worn by the store robbers on the day of harvest festival. If I recall correctly, I think the store robbers said they were part of the Red Hawks gang.

  The man in front steps forward casually, confirming my suspicions.

  "My name is Proud hawk, of the Red Hawks. The names of these behind me are unimportant. They're just fledgelings of the Red Hawks."

  "That's quite arrogant of you."

  "Of course it is. It's in my name, isn't it?" He shrugs.

  The Red Hawk members behind him snicker at his joke. Did they really find it funny?

  "I'm afraid no-one else is here to help you. Just co-operate with us, we won't hurt you. Not badly, anyway."

  But then, a stout, fat man rounded the corner of the street. Upon seeing us, he poses dramatically and speaks in a raised voice.

  "Well, well, well. What do we have here? You Red Hawks don't usually venture into these parts. What brings you out here?"

  "Boss, I think you jinxed it." One of the nameless Red Hawk members says.

  "Shaddup." Proud Hawk replies.

  The man wears a brown t-shirt a size too small for himself, with his belly popping out from underneath. Alongside his t-shirt is a matching brown pair of baggy trousers and a matching brown hood. From behind him flows a red cape of slightly darker shade. His hood covers the top half of his face, ending just below his nose. It has a rge pair of ears sewn on top of it and a comically long, protruding, pink-tipped snout.

  His baggy trousers are lined with thin pockets, and sticking out of the back of them is a wiggling, pstic pink rat tail. Yes, the tail is wiggling. It must have some mechanical device inside it to allow it to move.

  "Tada! Fat Rat has arrived!"

  How he achieved the moniker 'Fat Rat' is evident from his appearance.

  Fat Rat speed-waddles closer towards us from behind the debris. Two more people in rodent-like costumes appear from behind the corner of the building. Fat Rat continues waddling in silence until his fake snout is merely a few centimetres away from Pround Hawk's chest.

  Arms resting on his hips, he assumes a stance that would have been intimidating, if he didn't need to crane his neck so much to look up at Proud Hawk.

  Fat Rat speaks, making sure to show off as many of his golden teeth as possible. "Proud Hawk! I think you still owe us some money from our st business transaction. When do the Red Hawks pn on paying up?"

  "Fat Rat. It's been a few months since we st met. If you want your money, all I can say is you should have taken it from us when you had the chance."

  "We had a business deal goin'! We held our end of the bargain, and you betrayed us at the st second!"

  "Listen, You've outlived your usefulness to us. Trigon's slums are changing, and the man upstairs doesn't want to see you 'round the pce anymore. How 'bout you lot beat it before we have to throw you out ourselves, hmm?"

  "You think you're hot enough to run us outta the pce? Ha! That's a ugh. If you won't give us our money, I guess we'll take it by force. Get em, boys!"

  Immediately after his decration, Fat Rat spins around and his tail shes forward at Proud Hawk, who barely manages to step backward in time to avoid it hitting his torso. Proud Hawk, retreating some distance, puts his hand into his trenchcoat and pulls out a concealed whip.

  The two other people in rat costumes charge towards the three other Red Hawk members.

  The fighting's looks like it's going to get pretty intense. I could probably grab the ball and leave now unnoticed.

  Wanting to leave, I quietly continue stepping through the rubble pile to reach the ball. Just before I reach the ball, one of the red hawk goons breaks away from the chaos, runs through the rubble, and grabs my wrist.

  "Hey! Don't pn on escaping! We'll deal with you as well as them."

  I grab his outstretched arm with both hands and lift him into the air.

  "Hey! what?"

  Before bringing him crashing down onto the rubble beneath.

  I'm sorry, Professors. I'm sorry, Alice. You tried teaching me how to fight, but this is the only thing I know how to do.

  Stones fly as the man hits the ground. But after a second or two, the man climbs up to his feet again.

  "Hah! Impressive... hah. But do you think you can take me on with just that?"

  He's still up! Execute repeat manoeuvre!

  I pick him up again and swing him into the floor for a second time.

  "Ouch! But that isn't gonna be enough."

  And a third time.

  "Hah... hah... hah..."

  And a fourth time.

  "Enough! I'll..."

  And a fifth.

  ...

  He's out cold?

  I do it a sixth time just for good measure, then let go of his arm.

  "Woah. That was brutal!"

  I hear someone mutter something in the distance. But surely they can't be talking about me, can they? I look up to check what's happening.

  One of the men in rat costumes stands beside a fallen red hawk, ughing maniacally while repeatedly shing kicks at the sides of the defending red hawk. The other red hawk and rat-dressed man circle each other in a defensive stalemate, both seemingly too afraid to make the first move.

  Then, a loud whipping noise followed by a 'Ka-thwak" and "ker-thud" came from somewhere to the left, outside my vision, diverting everyone's attention.

  Turning around, I see Proud Hawk rolling on the ground, with Fat Rat slowly walking over to him. Proud Hawk struggles to his feet, but then Fat Rat bursts forwards with exploding speed, unching a kick with more impact than a cannonball.

  Proud Hawk is sent flying backwards onto the ground yet again. Unlike st time, however, he remains sprawled out onto the floor, breathing shallowly.

  I watch amazed as Fat Rat continues walking towards Proud Hawk at a leisurely pace. That speed was incredible! He must have some power from the system to allow him to accelerate quickly, otherwise there's no way he could pull something like that off.

  He stops near the fallen gang member, looking down at him with a sinister sneer on his masked face.

  "Hehehe. You're years too early to beat me. You know what comes next."

  "No! Please! Don't!" Proud Hawk says feebly.

  "I think it's time for my signature move: Fat Rat Smash!"

  Fat Rat leaps into the air, flips twice, then nds feet first directly on top of Proud Hawk's stomach.

  Proud Hawk lets out a silent scream upon impact, having all the wind knocked out of him, before falling unconscious. With that decisive blow, the fighting stops. The only ones left are the three in rat costumes, one of the Red Hawk members, and me.

  The final red hawk looks at each of us. A nervous grin forms on his face.

  "I- err- um. I'm Sorry, boss!" He wails, after choosing to turn around and flee.

  Instead of giving chase, Fat Rat puts his hands up in a cone shape around his mouth and bellows at him.

  "And tell the rest of the Red Hawks that we'll keep on doin' this ta' ya until ya give us what'cha owe us! Ya hear! Send the money over pronto!"

  My shoulders rex as I take a few deep breaths.

  I think it's finally over. Let's just get the ball and get out of here.

  Before I could, however, Fat Rat turns to me. "Hey! Ya did some good wallopin' there. You new around here?"

  I flinch.

  I think I jinxed myself there, didn't I?

  Fortunately, I hadn't.

  "Rex. I have no quarrel with you. We're just taking what's rightfully ours, that's all. Ain't that right, boys?" Fat Rat calls out to his companions, who are busy with emptying the pockets of the red hawk members. After recieving a few nods of agreement from his fellow looters, he gestures towards the unconscious body of the red hawk member at my feet.

  "Speaking of, aren't you gonna take your spoils from that guy? You won it fare and square, after all."

  "Ah, no thanks. I just came here for this." I respond, picking up the ball that I came here for.

  "Eh. Suit yourself. More loot for us, I guess." Fat Rat shrugs. "Stay safe out there. It's a dangerous pce, after all."

  I say goodbye to the odd group, and start to return to the manhole with the ball in hand.

  Hang on.

  I return to Fat Rat, who's busy looting the red hawk member I knocked out with a beady look in his eyes and a slovenly grin on his face. I see him remove a watch from the unconscious man's wrist and examine it.

  "Hehe. Look at this beauty. Maybe I'll keep this one instead of selling it off."

  "Excuse me, do you know where the manhole is to get back over the fence?"

  On seeing me, Fat Rat stuffs the watch into one of the pockets on his trousers and gives me directions.

  "Oh, you lost? Sure thing, mate. See that road? Keep heading down it until you see a bent street sign. Then turn right, onto the road. Continue following the road for three junctions. The manhole you're looking for is slightly bigger and also a different colour compared to the rest of the manholes."

  "Thanks."

  I leave and return to the room I rented in west Trigon. Along the way, I hide the ball at the spot I agreed on with the kid I met earlier.

  -THE SUPER VILLAINY SYSTEM-

  [Task: Get the ball!]

  [Progress: Completed.]

  [Rewards: 50 mP.]

  [Rewards Issued.]

  With that done, I return to my room in West Trigon for a well-deserved rest.