Chapter 7 – The B-Rank Gambit
Legends are funny. They start small, whispered in alleys and marketplaces. But once the first real threat arrives, whispers turn to fear.
I had been F-Rank, jobless, mocked, and underestimated. And now? My name—though still unknown to the authorities—was carried on every fearful whisper in the city.
Orion, report.
"Public recognition: 84%. Fear index: rising sharply. Probability of B-Rank retaliation: very high."
Good. Let them come. I was ready.
Mr. Tarlow had upped the ante. No longer D-Rank pawns, he had recruited B-Rank specialists—mercenaries with cybernetic enhancements, schemers with citywide influence, and a C-Rank hacker now working directly under them.
They had learned from their previous failures. This time, they wouldn't make the same mistakes.
I smiled faintly. Humans think they can outsmart someone like me. They don't know what infinite potential intelligence looks like.
Orion, activate planetary-scale experiment prototype.
The orb I had been experimenting with—small, adaptable, and derived from monster biology—expanded into a network of drones and nanotech units, capable of monitoring, analyzing, and influencing systems across the city… eventually beyond.
"Integration successful. Operational radius: 100 kilometers. Threat detection: optimized. Ethical variables: exceeding threshold."
Ethical variables? I grinned. Ethics was a game for humans. I played with probability.
The first wave struck at the central plaza. Cybernetic fists, gas traps, and minor explosives. Citizens scattered in panic—but I didn't move. Not yet.
Orion, predict all outcomes within 0.5 seconds.
"Probability matrix complete. Maximum effectiveness achieved through minimal direct engagement. Target neutralization: 98.9%. Probability of public admiration: 92%. Moral paradox: extreme."
I smiled. Extreme paradox? Exactly what I wanted. Chaos and morality dancing together.
I pressed a hidden button. Micro-drones surged into the attackers' positions, hijacking cybernetic systems, redirecting explosives, and broadcasting their own secrets on every public screen.
The B-Rank mercenaries froze. They didn't expect this. Humans never expect true calculated chaos.
One of the mercenaries—a B-Rank cyborg named Ranz—tried to hack into my suit directly. The orb expanded, forming a protective symbiotic shell around me, absorbing energy attacks and countering with harmless but spectacular visual displays. Citizens cheered, terrified and fascinated.
Orion, assess philosophical impact.
"Observation: humans equate spectacle with morality. The line between hero and chaos agent blurs. Probability of misinterpretation: high. Suggest moral discussion?"
I chuckled quietly. "Always, Orion. Let's see if you can argue ethics with me while I play God with probability."
By the end of the battle, the B-Rank attackers were exposed, humiliated, and neutralized. Citizens stared in awe as the boy they called "jobless" casually walked away from the chaos, hands in pockets, hoodie messy, a faint smirk on his face.
Orion, tally results.
"Threat neutralized. Public admiration index: 97%. Funds redistributed: 210,000 credits. Moral and ethical paradoxes recorded: extensive. Legendary prank status: planetary upgrade."
Yes. Planetary scale. I was just getting started.
Cliffhanger / Foreshadowing for Chapter 8
Tarlow escalates again—assembling A-Rank villains and plotting citywide havoc.
Rocky's planetary-scale tech hints at eventual cosmic inventions.
Orion's philosophical challenges grow—testing Rocky's morality and decision-making.
Citizens begin truly believing in the legend of the Jobless Genius, spreading rumors far beyond the city.