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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Sept 8, 2022 18:30:11 GMT -6
Dreams are important. For the most part, dreams are what have taught Zero how to exist, how to function, and how to survive. Without the pod, however, the dreams have been slowing, giving less instructions for Zero to consider.
Now, he finds himself sitting on a rooftop, watching the planet's denizens move about below, living their day-to-day lives.
The vast majority are invisible, in terms of Zero's ability to sense energy. They were the planet's native population, or at least, the prevailing race upon it thus far. Sprinkled throughout the crowds are tourists and visitors, sticking out due to their varying power levels. Yet, even among them, there were a select few that registered as... different.
Zero closes his eyes, focusing.
The surface power was next to nothing, but as he pushed his focus further, Zero could tell there was more. It was like there was a thin layer, like the skin of a bubble, just barely keeping the rest of the being's power from being plain as day for anyone with a basic sense to feel and understand.
Zero opens his eyes, his brow furrowing slightly in concern.
He wouldn't be fooled again by someone like that.
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Learning True Sense
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Sept 17, 2022 12:12:50 GMT -6
Conflict is inevitable.
From what Zero could tell from the planet he had interacted with so far, this was an undeniable truth. The inhabitants of Plant were currently in a sort of intermission between combats with the Saiyans, and whether the battlefield would be this planet or the other, it was going to happen one way or the other.
As such, Zero needed to be ready to defend himself.
Mentally, Zero reviews his combat techniques and stratagems. Most had been programmed into him by his creator's computer, and while they worked well from what he could surmise... there was room for improvement. Some of these movements were wasteful, too much flourish to them...
Inefficient.
Discarding those superfluous programs, Zero finds a new rhythm to fight with, one that seemed to give him an efficiency boost of up to 15%. It was acceptable.
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Learning ability - Combat Protocol: Efficiency. Zero discards all superfluous movements in order to fight at a higher level. +15% PL for the thread.
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Sept 20, 2022 17:14:00 GMT -6
For the first time, Zero has found himself in a battle.
It had started seemingly out of nowhere, as Zero has no recollection of how this fight started, or what he was doing beforehand. All his focus, instead, is being spent on dodging the rapid attacks being thrown towards him, hunting for openings to send his own attacks, which in turn are being dodged and blocked as well. It was troubling. The long-haired youth was seemingly inexhaustible, and Zero couldn't move fast enough to take advantage of anything before his foe could recover.
Finally, he activates his defensive protocol, creating a crimson sphere around himself that forces his opponent to dodge backwards, before doing the exact same maneuver in return.
Zero narrows his eyes. If his foe could mimic him, he needed to do something he'd never done before.
He pauses for a moment, then holds his palm out towards the enemy. Crimson energy flows to form a wave-like sphere, shimmering, before suddenly solidifying.
"Offensive Protocol: Disintegration."
The ball ruptures, sending a stream of energy towards his foe and swallowing it up. The energy doesn't cease, flowing continually for a full minute before finally subsiding, leaving...
Nothing.
Zero's eyes open, and he finds himself in the hotel room Caffra had left him in. He sits up slowly, staring at the sheets of the bed in his lap.
"...more dreams."
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Learning Ability - Offensive Protocol: Disintegration - Zero channels Ki into his palm, forming an unstable ball. Once fully charged and stabilized, the ball ruptures, sending a streak of energy towards his enemy that can persist as long as he wishes. +25% PL attack.
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Sept 28, 2022 19:36:21 GMT -6
"Zero."
Once again, Zero finds himself in some sort of strange projection, a setting that he didn't recall heading to. Instead, he finds himself standing before a humanoid shadow, one that speaks to him in a gravely voice.
"You continue to grow. But you have not decided for yourself what direction to take yourself."
Zero considers the idea briefly, but doesn't respond.
"You haven't decided whether you are good, or evil. Whether you want friends, allies, or minions. Whether you want to lead or follow."
It doesn't sound like the voice is approving or disappointed, but rather, simply speaking facts. Zero, however, gives a small nod.
"Is there a timeframe that I am to accomplish this in?"
The shadow pauses, while Zero continues.
"I was given the goal of determining perfection, as well as how to live. These objectives require further investigation before I am to make a decision."
The shadow seems to nod.
"Very well. But know that even if you are not ready to choose, some choices may be made for you in time."
Zero sits up again, and for the first time, a frown touches his face. He feels...something.
Frustration.
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Oct 5, 2022 17:51:14 GMT -6
Speed was evidently something that Zero needed to work on. Especially if he was going to be trapped in slowing black hole fields.
However, without increasing his own speed, Zero is briefly at a loss as to how to fix this issue. His attempts to move faster lead to him just moving... the same top speed he always does.
But perhaps that was the issue. He's attempting to move his entire body which is slowing him too much. Perhaps he should work smaller.
Zero starts concentrating on moving bits and pieces of himself at faster speeds until they're nothing but a blur. The more he focuses on it, the easier it becomes, and soon Zero's entire body starts to blur as he moves!
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Learning Ability: Quick Step
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Oct 11, 2022 13:53:31 GMT -6
Being able to battle opponents was a new experience for Zero, but one he had felt somewhat ill-prepared for. Thus far, he had developed two attacking protocols, but only one defensive. That in itself was not enough to bother him, but the concept of fighting alongside others had given him more to ponder.
Thus far, all his techniques focused solely on himself. What if an ally needed assistance? Would he need to place himself in the way consistently in order to shield them?
No. That would lead to a possibility of irreparable personal damage. Instead, it would be wise to be able to assist from a distance. In that same train of thought, perhaps he would be able to create his barrier in a different location, not localized around himself. He lifts a hand towards the wall, and a crimson rectangle forms in front of it, though not quite as intense as when he usually makes it around himself.
"It must grow weaker by not originating from me."
Zero muses aloud. Still, it was something.
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Learning Ability: Supportive Protocol: Shield - Zero creates a barrier of crimson energy in front of another person or object. +20% PL
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Oct 18, 2022 17:01:31 GMT -6
It was difficult to conceive of more ways to push himself, immediately. Zero's sole measuring stick for battle was against one he could consider a friend, and he hadn't wanted to injure her unnecessarily.
Yet he knew there would be a point where he would possibly need to hurt, or even kill someone, eventually.
It wasn't something he was eagerly waiting for, but neither was he shying away from the possibility It would happen when it happened. Instead, he would consider the most efficient way to kill while keeping suffering to a minimum.
Head. Neck. Chest. These were vital areas that could possibly kill quickly, if struck with enough power.
If not... well... he would need to consider alternatives. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that.
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Oct 26, 2022 17:11:37 GMT -6
How could he have ended the battle faster?
It was a thought that bothered Zero when he remembers what had happened. There must have been a way to have pinpointed his attacks on the one vulnerable spot, taking advantage of the clear weakness of his then-opponent. However, none of his techniques were designed to target a small area like that.
Perhaps he needed to update his software, and create new attacks that homed-in on his opponent?
No. That wouldn't solve this particular case. Instead, he needed a way to grow stronger in melee.
Zero looks down at his hand, contemplating the issue for a few seconds. Then, a crimson glow forms around his hand, taking on its shape, while creating a small, almost knife-edge to the energy itself.
That would be far more useful in penetrating defenses in melee.
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Learning ability: Offensive Protocol: Blade - Zero creates a sheathe of energy around his hand, sharp as a blade. This technique is designed for cutting and slashing, rather than the explosive power of typical Ki techniques. +15% PL.
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Nov 4, 2022 11:56:00 GMT -6
Today was something different.
Instead of following through with his fighting techniques as usual, Zero begins to experiment with a degree of fluidity in his movements, adding to or subtracting from the usual combinations at seemingly random. While most fighters practiced their techniques to ensure they didn't forget them, or to ingrain them into their muscle memory, Zero didn't exactly have that problem.
Once something was learned, he never forgot it.
Instead, by testing out the movements with seemingly random followups, he could determine what moves flowed together better than previously established, and which were outright failures.
A small boost in efficiency, but it was something.
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Nov 8, 2022 18:24:11 GMT -6
The imagined hand to hand training continues, but this time, Zero is trying to throw in his energy attacks at the same time. While he found beams to be moderately effective against enemies who made distance after meleeing, a sudden shift into using his blade seemed to be better against extended melee combat.
Interesting.
He spins his hand around a bit, considering it, before widening it into a shield in front of him.
That was it. He should work on that.
He spends the next few hours shifting from offensive to defensive forms of combat, shifting his barrier into different shapes to try and decide what would flow best. Expanding his blade into a shield seemed to be the most effective motion he could foresee, but it would have to wait for actual combat to implement.
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Nov 15, 2022 18:36:46 GMT -6
Shield.
Blade.
Barrier.
Zero's external energy seemed to be limited only by his imagination in terms of how to shape it. His offense and defense was fairly balanced now, so the best option in his mind was to work on utility instead. His only frame of reference was a single instance of combat, and as such, Zero considers the battle as it had happened, and what he could have done differently.
He holds his hands out, looking at the barrier forming in each one, before attempting to shape it. Not in the shape of a weapon, or a shield, but this time, into large circles. Gesturing with his fingers, the circles open at one side, granting room to place someone's limb within, before closing.
Then, with his mind, Zero pushes the circles into the wall where they embed themselves.
"These should prove to be effective shackles."
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Learning ability: Supportive Protocol: Shackle - Zero forms shackles from his barriers, surrounding his opponent's limbs in an effort to pin them down. The shackles have a restraining power of Zero's power level +15%.
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Nov 22, 2022 13:41:16 GMT -6
With his only interaction thus far ending in a fight that had rendered his comrade comatose, Zero finds his thoughts muddled as he sits on the roof of a building, looking down at the people walking below.
Yes, he had been modeled to be able to participate in combat, but was that all he had been designed for? If so, why not give him a stronger frame and higher power to begin with? It was certainly within his creator's power to do so, as they had made other, stronger androids than himself beforehand. Instead, Zero was effectively a newborn compared to them.
Yet, try as he might, he could not access anything in his memory that would explain the lack of other skills. He could effectively fight those his power or lower, which consisted of many of the untrained civilians below, but anything stronger would likely defeat him. There was no answer in his mind of what to do against such a foe aside from run and grow stronger over time.
Was that why he was here? Because he was sent away from strong adversaries, so he could return stronger and beat them? It didn't feel like the answer, because he didn't feel anything towards those who had killed his creator in the first place.
Perhaps that was it.
Zero closes his eyes, concentrating on the feeling of the wind in his hair, on his skin. The slight chill of the temperature gradually dropping as the sun goes down. The barest vibrations as people pass by below.
Being in tune with everything.
Maybe that was it. Maybe he needed to experience more before making a decision.
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on May 30, 2023 19:07:05 GMT -6
It's been a very... very... very long time since Zero felt the need to improve his fighting capabilities.
Being stronger in general was a goal he had decided upon, both from older events as well as his conversation with Methyl. However, aside from basic improvements on movements and technique, he hadn't thought of new ways to improve until he had gone over each and every technique in his mind.
The techniques themselves were fine, as they were. However, he could still make new ones to accomplish different goals.
For one, Zero had decided that area control could become useful in the future. By denying certain areas to his foes, he could corral them into attacking from angles he could anticipate, making it easier to fight them or aid his allies. But how? The answer, most likely, lay in his unstable barrier attack, with some modification of course.
Zero would begin filling spherical barriers with Ki, ensuring each one was filled to the absolute brim, while also keeping the barrier as thin as possible. Each one would be like a floating mine, deterring would-be melee attacks.
It may not save him from a Ki blast, but that was why he had other moves.
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Learning Ability: Defensive Protocol: Explosive Mine - Zero forms several spherical balls filled with unstable Ki. Touching these spheres causes them to explode, inflicting Zero's power level +20% in damage in a ten foot radius.
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Jun 12, 2023 16:42:05 GMT -6
Utility was important, that much Zero had already determined.
He was set defensively, for the time being. Offensively, he also felt as though he had a decent amount of options. However, hybrid moves were still something Zero was experimenting with. The thing he was most comfortable using was his barriers, and as such, Zero felt incorporating those into his hybrid ability would be the easiest to work with.
Zero forms a blade in his hand, then tilts his head. This was something he'd already done, but maybe there was something to this shape. More length, perhaps. A smaller tip.
Hmmm... it was still missing something.
Zero focuses, letting the barrier shift in place so that it's no longer attached to his hand, and begins to add a spiral around the longer shape in a corkscrew design. He holds it up, inspecting it, then nods.
This would be perfect for penetrating defenses, and making it easier for allies to damage his foes.
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Learning Ability: Offensive Protocol: Drill - Zero utilizes his barrier technology to form a solid drill made of Ki. Attacks with this drill deal Zero's power level +20% in damage, and increases damage the target takes by 5% for one post.
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Zero
Hermit
Explain.
Posts: 259
Power Level: 4,505
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Post by Zero on Jul 17, 2023 16:46:29 GMT -6
It was happening again.
Zero could tell it was some sort of dream he was in once more, since he couldn't remember how he arrived at this unfamiliar setting he was sitting in.
Except... was it unfamiliar?
The wooden table that was in front of him felt different, like it was something he'd seen before. Same with the wooden chairs that lined it, including the one he was currently seated on. The room was decently sized, pictures on the wall that were too blurry and out of focus for him to be able to make out any details, but somehow he knew that the people within were ones that he knew.
But how?
He looks down at his clothes, clean but ragged. His hair was much shorter, reaching only his shoulders as opposed to the massive length he'd come to know now. It was completely different to what he knew as himself, but yet... he knew it.
Zero's eyes widen, and his heart starts to pound. It felt like his chest was constricting in on itself, making it difficult to breathe as he took in the sights.
Loud voices come from the next room, one male, and two... no, three females. Each distinct in their own way, but he couldn't put faces to the sounds. Louder and louder, the voices seem to pierce every part of him, enough that he puts his hands over his ears, clenching his eyes shut as liquid streams down his cheeks.
Then it stops.
He opens his eyes slowly, once again returned to the room he'd been staying in on Plant, the sheets down by his waist once more. Another dream.
An odd sensation tickles his cheeks, and he touches them with his fingers, pulling them back to see clear liquid.
Zero blinks a few times, his brow furrowing, before he decides to get up and start his day. It didn't feel right to be in this room right now.
He needs out.
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