Bab 416: Armoured Up
The group is lead to a room near the training room and given some privacy once they were all double-checked for weapons. Obviously, all of his companions were pretty sure Afton was going to trash Hardin, but strangely, the only person who looked worried was Veronica...
"Something up?" he asks while sipping some purified water from a bottle.
Veronica slowly nods, "You do understand what you agreed to right?"
...
"Yeah?" he says with some amount of confusion.
Veronica shakes her head, "Then you'll know you are almost guaranteed to lose, right?"
...
"No?"
She sighs and looks at the rest of the room, "The Trial by Combat is designed for two members of the Brotherhood. No weapons are allowed, by armour definitely is... You get where I'm going with this?"
A few in the room pale at the implications, Afton was sure if Anja looked like a regular person she'd be ashen too.
"So, the kid's gotta fight Hardin in Power armour?" Karl asks and Veronica nods.
"Both combatants would wear armour, to protect themselves from any permanent injury, and to display they prowess while wearing it. Since Afton left the Brotherhood, he has no armour to wear, I doubt Hardin will be willing to play fair, so he'll have to beat a man in full Power armour in a fistfight..." she says grimly.
Afton himself isn't all that worried... Even if Hardin had ten strength which was boosted by Power armour, making it eleven, Afton would still be stronger. The only issue that he could see would be actually striking him, he wasn't sure how many times he could punch armour like that without injury, or even if he'd get injured...
His [A Pool of Dead] Perk would quickly heal any wounds he'd sustain, and [Tremble before me!] would basically void any protection Hardin would have... He was confident in his victory, the only problem would be making sure Hardin wasn't smashed into a bloody smear during their fight... Afton imagined if he went all out the man would be turned into bloody jello inside his own armour.
He shrugs at their worried looks, "It's fine, I'd take Nyx over Power armour any day."
"I'd take you too, user." the AI chirps, causing a few in the group to lighten up. Afton had done many ridiculous, almost supernatural things in the past, if he said he could do something, he usually wasn't lying.
"Are you sure you can do this, sir?" Anja asks from the side, having not spoken at all since arriving here. He could see it in her eyes, she wasn't worried about herself, but for Afton... He wasn't sure whether to be happy at her loyalty or angry at her lack of self-preservation.
Regardless on these thoughts, he nods, "Yeah, trust me, I'll beat the shit out of him... The only problem is what happens afterwards... Say we get out of here in one piece, what then? The Legion are likely already broadcasting my affiliation with the Brotherhood as we speak, the NCR'll be our enemies, and so will the Brotherhood depending on how they react to me beating Hardin, as well as the technology we have to our disposal... They'd probably execute us if they realised what the Proton axes were, and that's not even the tip of the iceberg..."
Veronica sighs, "I'm not sure..." she admits.
Tamia just shrugs, "Don't worry about it, I'll have House vouch for you, the NCR won't do anything after that."
Karl just shakes his head, "That's only on the strip. Minute they have the chance, they'll do what they tried a couple months ago... I doubt they've forgotten the peculiarities they found in your body, kid. Plus, the Republic doesn't like other's having power."
Josie bites her lip, "I'm not sure I want to fight against the NCR... Despite it all, I still love my country." she says, and Boone nods in agreement.
"Look, we won't be hostile to them unless they attack us first. I don't want to make them our enemies, but if they force my hand there's nothing I can do." he states, Boone looks like he's about to speak up by the door to the room swings open, revealing a Knight in Power armour.
"The trial is set... Parker, Hardin may dislike me saying this but, you can always surrender... I know you aren't weak, but you could really get hurt here..."
Afton raises a brow, "I don't know who you are, but trust me, I've got this handled." he says with crossed arms.
The Knight sighs and raised their helm, revealing Miles Stanton, one of his old buddies underneath it. "You know what you're up against, right Afton?"
Afton smirks, "Don't you worry your pretty head Miles, Power armour or no, I'm gonna crack that Egghead and make a Paladin omelette."
Stanton just shakes his head and puts his helm back on. "Whatever you say, if you survive this you owe Melissa an explanation, she'll probably beat you harder than Hardin." he states before leading the group to the training room.
It was just how Afton remember, only that this time the entire Chapter seemed to be here... Apparently, Hardin wanted to make a display as his first act as Elder... Unfortunately for him, it'd likely be recorded in the scrolls as the first time an unarmed and unarmoured man beats an Elder in Powearmour.
Hardin was already standing in the middle of the room in full Power armour, his arms crossed as he looked at the group entering. "You're here. No point waiting any longer for this." he states before addressing the crowd, "This trial by combat is to decide the fate of Afton Parker's pet mutant. Should I win, it will be taken outside and exterminated. If I lose, it will be free to go. The rules are as follows... No weapons. No gadgets. We will fight until one cannot stand any longer, as tradition states, armour is allowed. Head Scribe Taggart will be responsible for adjudicating, do you have any question, Parker?"
Afton shakes his head and steps forwards, "None. Just make sure you stay true to your words." he states.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Niggross
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Bab 417: Bully
The arena where Afton and Hardin were supposed to be fighting wasn't how he'd expected... He'd thought he'd be thrust into some kind of Mortal Combat arena, but instead, he's just in the center of a room surrounded by people.
The trial begins as soon as Afton steps forwards, he and his opponent beginning to circle one another. He could hear people talking about the unfairness of it, forcing him to fight without armour.
Indeed, it would be unfair if Afton didn't already have advantages... Still, this brought up a couple questions... His brow rises into his hairline when he puts two and two together. "Hardin, you knew I would be at a disadvantage once I officially resigned from the Brotherhood, which is why you challenged me..." he says, loud enough for most of the room to hear.
Afton was sure Hardin's face would've been set as a scowl, but he couldn't see it through his helmet. "You may think what you want, traitor, but there is only one place the likes of that abomination should exist. Since you wish to ally yourself with it, maybe you should join it!" he shouts, running at Afton to attack.
Of course, Afton didn't even have to rely on his Danger Sense to know this was coming. He easily dodges Hardin's charge and ducks under the reflexive backhand after he misses. As he's crouched, he drives a fairly strong uppercut into Hardin's armoured ribs, causing a large metallic *Ding!* to ring out around the room.
"Heargh!" Hardin groans as he stumbles backwards from the unexpectedly painful strike. He glares at Afton and quickly looks down at his armour to check if it'd been pierced or breached in any way... The metal was undented... But why then did it feel like he'd taken the full brunt of the hit?
"What is this? What did you do?" he angrily asks, suddenly feeling like the winner of this fight was undecided.
Afton shrugs with a grin on his face, beginning to hop on the balls of his feet while throwing out a few jabs, "I'm the second coming of Bruce Lee, bitch." he states as he drops into a flagrant-looking stance.
"I don't know who this 'Bruce Lee' is, but after I beat you I'll take the technology he holds!" he growls out as he approaches Afton again, this time more cautiously.
Tamia looks at Veronica with some confusion, "Who's Bruce Lee?"
Veronica just shrugs and continues watching the fight, "I don't know... I think Afton said the name once when we were training, but I never asked."
Hardin steps forth and tries to kick at Afton's hip in an attempt to deal some damage, but Afton just raises his foot and blocks the strike with his heel. "You're too slow old man, you sure you're fit to be Elder? Well, I guess Elder would be the correct name for someone of your age." he taunts.
Hardin responds to this as you'd expect... But giving a roar and attempting to throw a haymaker at Afton. Honestly, if it were any other man Hardin would have crushed their skull and splattered their brains across the room.
But, since this was Afton, he simply dashes in close and uses Hardin's momentum to throw him on his back. The Elder lands with a large *Crash!*, but he quickly gets up, his armour leaving him unharmed from the throw.
"This the best you got? My Ghoul friend fight better than you do!" Afton taunts again, easily dodging the flurry of back-breaking punches Hardin begins throwing. Both of their fists even meet at one point, but it's Hardin who comes loses that clash, even despite his armoured.
Afton's knuckles are slightly bloody, but they quickly heal up... Hardin on the other hand broke two fingers in that encounter, and it took all his focus not to scream out as it occurred. His pride wouldn't allow him to show weakness in front of HIS new Chapter.
"Alright Hardin, I'm done playing around, I'll give you this chance to surrender or you aren't gonna like what comes next." Afton offers with a smug look.
"Just shut up and fight!" Hardin roars, but it's Afton that attacks this time.
He dashes forwards at speeds impossible to reach for most of the Chapter, leaping in the air and delivering a kick to Hardin's head. The attack almost knocks the man out cold, but he manages to throw himself backwards to alleviate the force somewhat... Still, he was rocked and had difficulties standing.
Afton wasn't finished however, he dashes forwards gain as Hardin tries to defend with his arms, but Afton just drops low and strikes Hardin in the liver a couple times, bringing the man to his knee's and allowing Afton to knee his helmeted face.
*Bang!*
*Crash!*
Hardin crashes to the floor on his back, wheezing and trying not to vomit from the world spinning before his eyes. He hears a muffled voice from somewhere but can't make it out... It's only after a couple times hearing it that he translates what it's saying... "Do you surrender?"
"N-NO!" he quickly shouts, forcing himself back to his feet, even while his legs wobble beneath him... Even with the Power armour assisting him, he wasn't in any condition to keep moving.
Afton just shakes his head "Alright then, I guess..." he says as he jumps in the air and brings his heel down on Hardin's knee, not holding anything back... The results of course, are obvious...
*CRAACK!*
"AAARRRGGHHHH!" Hardin screams out in pain as his leg bends inwards from the strike, his knee shattering entirely as the metal from his Power armour bends and breaks into shards that imbed itself into his leg. He'd honestly had been better off not wearing the Power armour in this instance, as all it was doing now was rending the flesh from his leg.
Afton looks down at his opponent with a blank face, even as medics pick the man up and carry him away to the med bay... The room was completely silent, no one daring to make a sound after the beatdown they just witnessed...
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA
Niggross
Niggross
Hope you bois liked the chap, if I missed anything please let me know. Thanks!
Also, thanks to my patrons for their support :
Joseph Suh
Chris Lindsey
Kingsprovince
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