"What??? You've got to have a boss fight! No self-respecting game-caster trying to transcend the human condition with new VR technology doesn't use an old school boss fight for training. Besides, what if this is all just an AI ploy to take over the world? Know your enemy."

  Chen sighed. I grinned.

  "Ok. What's the deal?"

  "Simple. Beat him. We take him on, one shot at a time, one player at a time. We keep going until somebody wins. You've got to slam your hand into his chest to win. He puts you on your arse, you lose that round. He actually is AI coded, so –

  like Chen – no advantage for me. Besides, who wants an easy boss? Winner wins. Any questions?"

  We exchanged looks. No questions.

  "I'll go first this time." I'd spent a lot of time in combat sims, may as well give it a try. As I approached, he moved, shifting his stance, poised and ready. I slid my right foot back into zenkutsu-dachi, grounding myself with a sharp exhale. My hands rose instinctively—left in jōdan-uke to guard high, right chambered near my hip, ready to strike. I didn't know what the hell zenkutsu-dachi or jōdan-uke actually were, but it would have to be Kung-fu on the go for me – AI automation and gaming instincts all the way baby.

  I struck, my right foot swinging high and moving like a sledghammer at light speed – it was a blur! Insane! The boss moved aside easily – impossibly fast – and his counter strike was devastating. He slammed his palms into my chest and I went absolutely flying!

  "Oooophh!"

  "Your turn, Chen."

  Chen moved in, adopting a stance from some other style. She didn't commit like I did with that kick, probably smart. A few strikes, a few blocks, and then the boss swept out her legs and put her down like me.

  "Ok" Ross jumped lightly about on his feet like a prize fighter stepping in to the ring. He feinted a couple of times, the boss didn't even flinch. Interesting. It wasn't leading any of the attacks, just watching. Reading us? Hmmmm. Ross moved in with a kick-boxing flurry, the boss blocked and dodged every one of his blows. As Ross swung in a powerful Muay-Thai kick to the abdomen, it simply caught his leg mid-strike, and tossed him right across the room!

  BBBRRAAACCCKKK – one of the wooden poles shattered as Ross slammed into it.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  "Ow. That hurt."

  My turn again. Obviously fighting was the wrong approach here. No way our reaction time was going to beat his speed. In games, you make it possible. Here, well, this was brutal, calculating AI in full flight. I moved in again, threw a few punches without connecting. He was watching, moving, dodging, blocking. Then I triggered a time-dilation around him. His movement slowed to about a quarter of the speed – like he was caught in syrup. I rammed my hand forward, going for the win. It was a great plan. Apart from the fact that – as soon as my hand entered the field – it too got caught in the dilation. Dang. Should've thought of that. OK OK!! You try thinking of every problem when you're fighting an AI kung fu master at hyper speed!!

  He broke the spell, and in a whir I was down again. I think he moved faster that time... like he was panicked that I got too close. Maybe not. Hard to tell. The idea was there though: just had to shift the rules on his speed to get at him.

  Chen stepped up, and pulled two desert eagles out from her cloak.

  BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM.

  She filled the air with lead, but – of course – the boss dodged every bullet in a blur of motion. The bullets tore in to the wood behind him. The boss then calmly pulled out a gun and shot Chen right in the head in one fluid motion. Of course, with an avatar, you don't get the usual effects in here, but she did get slammed down to the ground.

  "Ow."

  "Chen, the chosen one you ain't." Ross ran in quickly, unleashing another kick-boxing barrage. He wound up to strike, and in an instant he disappeared. Before we could even register, he was on the other side of his opponent, and his knee slammed into its kidney. The boss was knocked forward by the blow, and almost stumbled.

  Ross pressed his advantage – flying at his enemy.

  The AI boss pivoted smoothly, guiding Ross' next strike easily aside with a subtle parry at the wrist. A slight shift of weight, and Ross's momentum turned against him. The boss dropped to one knee, and tossed Ross across the room. Ross slammed onto his back, eyes wide with confusion. Our enemy resumed his relaxed stance without a hint of emotion.

  My turn again. Ross' teleportation trick gave me an idea.

  I circled around my opponent slowly, he moving with me. My breath steadied, my feet shifted into kiba-dachi, and I let the code slip into an illusion. One became two. Two became six. Twelve figures of me bloomed around the dojo, each one a perfect echo —posture, stance, sweat glistening on their brows. I couldn't convincingly do too many more than twelve, I think.

  We moved in unison. No tells. No hesitation. It's head tilted slightly as it considered my move, but he didn't shift. Again, he was waiting for my mistake, and I gave it to him. At least, I made it look like I gave it to him.

  We charged. Five from the front, three from behind, the rest circling and ready to pounce. He moved only when they were close enough to touch. He blurred through the assault at an impossible speed, striking with clean, brutal precision. One of my echoes collapsed in a puff of static, he threw another across the room like a ragdoll. His palm drove through the chest of another with the same cold finality. Every time one went down, I sourced a new echo. I felt every impact as if it were me. Every blow was a warning: you can't outpace inevitability. But inevitability doesn't look over its shoulder. He kept carvingthrough my echoes, and I kept making more of them, pushing it. 13. 14. 15. 16. It was intense! I, and a couple of my echoes, moved low and silent on the edge of the fight. Timing was everything. I gave my newest echo an orange jump suit, and there was a moment of hesitation, just a flicker in his body—just a beat, but it was enough. I rolled in and my hand shot forward in a blur, my fingers straight as a spear. I struck hard and clean, right into his chest.

  For a moment, nothing happened. He looked down at my hand, and then disappeared.

  "Nice work, Peterson. I can't believe that wasn't the first thing that we tried!"

  Ross looked genuinely impressed, as did Chen.

  "That was a stroke of genius."

  "One for Ross, one for Peterson" Winsford's voice broke in. "Last stage – here we go. Peterson, you're up."