Augmented Aspects: Chapter 403 Championship Round (Patreon)

<<<Author's Note: Thank you all for bearing with me, just three more chapters remain of this amazing story and series. I hope to have them all complete by today April 10th, 2026.>>>Chapter 403

Championship Round

(Three Months Later)

“Cheater!” live stream comments poured in from the real world, as people were allowed to pay good money for advertisements during these Championship Rounds.

Companies had purchased these time slots in advance, thinking that there would be some epic fights occurring, especially now for the Championship Round, the final Round of the one-versus-one Space Mechanoid Warfare Machine battles. Which sounds great, and should be the highlight of the entire series, honestly. The only problem is that with five rounds of essentially placing the best Mech fighters against the best Mechanoid fighters from the other servers, the product got watered down, as many of the so called top fighters died in the first few rounds, forever being kicked out from future rounds, and being forced to respawn on the seven core worlds.

This of course led to worse and worse battles, leaving behind worse and worse future matchups as some brackets were paper mache by the end. The only reason why this final matchup of the five categories even lasted this long is the fact that I spared my opponents in each of the previous competitions. Making it so my opponents could all be healed and rejoin future rounds of competition. Meaning most of the major battles for each competition were essentially repeat battles, making it so many companies that had originally purchased ad space during these final slots now wanted to back out, or at least get a refund of their perceived less value purchases. But the government noted that all sales were final.

With nothing but wasted ad revenue space happening, some promoters got creative. Rather than spending hundreds of millions of dollars on edgy commercials that would be spoken about for years. They in turn opened up their ad campaigns to entrepreneurs. Basically making it so the masses would do their advertising for the big brands, creating a commercial that prominently displayed whatever product owned a particular time slot. A great idea, then once all such commercials had been vetted, the top hundred or so would be uploaded so people could vote freely on which ad they wanted to have played live during the matches.

Again, these are all great marketing techniques. Ones I honestly thought were good ideas, this allowed young and upcoming advertisers to get a foot in the door as having shot one successful commercial that got promoted to a nationally televised event. No one could argue that this was bad.

And at first the ads were great, promoting good sportsmanship, rooting for all of us to do well and earn the money we needed to continue living in this, our retirement years.

However, things took a drastic turn after both sets of team battles, where an estimated eighty percent of all contestants died, or opted to respawn as is in the core worlds.

That is the other thing, now the winners of each bracket could get their wish, and reincarnate as is to a core world and was something that was highly encouraged. I’m not going to lie, I too was tempted when I first heard the option. There was of course just two problems, the first and most glaring problem was Penelope. Of all the people I’d miss the most, I’d miss Penelope who I knew could not get this option as she purposefully chose not to compete in any of these contests, thinking that she would just weigh a team down.

Penelope was reason enough for me not to choose this new winner’s option, of moving along. Fortunately, I didn’t have to even make such a hard decision myself as Raygunnr and I were never given the option to move on as is.

“Stop ruining these events for everyone. Yeah, you won, accept the transfer and move on. Let others survive. Let other survive!” More vitriol rolls in from the next commercial. This was the state of affairs currently, as now all of the commercials that were being voted on by the fans were nothing but pure hatred. Hatred at the fact that we would not move on, and that we would not allow others to take the transfer positions either.

The sad part about all of this, is that Raygunnr and I were not alone in our denial to be allowed over. As it seemed that every Biprism team and performer had the same issue. None of us were given the option to move on, despite the contest winners all but daring us all to take that prize. No death, no losing your placement, just a straight up transfer to one of the core worlds that would survive this round of government budget cuts.

“They act as if we have a choice to move on,” Raygunnr states, his words flowing into my mind as clear as if he was talking right next to me. By now we are so used to talking mentally, that I don’t even mind the fact that his antenna used to resemble an over-compensating strap-on. However, I was not prepared for what happened next.

“Hmph,” a deep and resonating note of agreement echoed back, piggybacking off of Raygunnr’s open thought waves and communicating back to us in crystal clarity. “I too would not accept the poisoned gift that they offer, as if the idea of keeping your personal power holds any meaning when the ones you gained that power to protect are gone.”

Hearing those deep contemplative words, and philosophy, I couldn’t help but feel a tremor of fear and excitement running down my spine. This was our fourth time facing the contestant before us, but the first time he seemed to communicate back to us, which is why I found myself wondering if I was just imagining things. Fortunately, while I was momentarily lost in trying to process the voice that was connecting to our previously private conversation, Raygunnr was quick to cut in.

“Mr. Keanu, is that you?” Raygunnr asked, a note of schoolboy pride and curiosity filling his words.

“Hmm, yes,” was his one word reply that both answered Raygunnr’s question and made the question seem entirely irrelevant as it was clear he was the only one able to speak back to us, out here in the vastness of space. We had already been sent here long ago, waiting in our starting positions, while an hour’s worth of paid advertisements scroll past us to be consumed by the masses.

“Mr. Keanu, I am your biggest fan. I have never wanted to be shot in the face before, but when it comes from you, I don’t mind as much. Even when you hit me.” Raygunnr pointed to his head, at a spot that has long since been healed over with a deeper crystalline structure that would be resistant to such a scrape this time around. Hearing him talk, I see the blatant opening and I can’t help myself. After months of being subjected to his innuendos and talks about creating a Mechram when this is all over, I see the moment and I pounce.

“You should take that as a compliment. As someone who wrote Minotaur SMUT in his past life, he is what we’d call an expert on shots to the face.” I reply, and there is silence as everyone seems to take in my comment. For a moment I wonder if I have crossed a line, or somehow ruined this otherwise endearing moment with Keanu finally opening up to us.

“Hehe,” fortunately, Keanu laughs at the same time that Raygunnr seems to snap from his confusion and offers his own commentary.

“Good one. You know there might be some hope for you yet,” Raygunnr replies and I can tell he both means it and is somehow impressed that I came up with a one liner of my own. There is a moment of pause, where I think about commenting that I always had hope, but felt it would just appear childish. That’s when I turn my attention back to Keanue.

“Can I ask why now?” I think, projecting my thoughts directly to Keanu, even though Raygunnr can clearly hear as he is the one keeping this line of communication open and active.

“This is just the second time I heard you two,” Keanu cut in.

“Second time?” I press.

“Yes, the last time was in the Space Group Mechanoid Warfare Machine competition,” Keanu admits.

“Wait, you could hear us then?” I question.

“Yes.”

“Well, why didn’t you say anything then?” Raygunnr asked, seeming like he was feeling a bit left out that Keanu waited until now to talk to us, even though the opportunity had been there all along. That’s when I cut in, with the obvious answer that took only two seconds of thinking to deduce.

“Because he didn’t want to give up his tactical advantage against us, duh!” I reply, stating exactly why I wouldn’t let others know I could hear their thoughts. “It’s basically like they had a live action response to what we were doing, what our gameplan was, and how we would coordinate a response.”

LAUGHTER. Keanu laughed, a self-deprecating laugh that seemed to speak of troubles. “Yeah, though even with our strategic advantage, we were not able to take advantage of that gap tactically.”

Hearing Keanu speak, I felt a sense of calm finality coming from him. Almost as if we were speaking to a Zen master, which I guess in a way we were.

“So why speak to us now?” Raygunnr asked his mind clearly not understanding what is happening right now. As his mind is still reeling from the fact that he is talking to Keanu, which I am too, but I’m able to compartmentalize that feature of this a bit easier.

“Because, he knows,” I reply, but stop myself before I state the next part. The part that might come across as mean and boasting, if I complete the thought.

“He knows what?” Raygunnr asks confusedly.

“That we’ll win. We’ve won three times in a row against him, and now he is still going through the motions to put up a fight,” I respond. Realizing how strong Keanu’s personal will and stoicism are, for here he is fighting on, despite knowing he will lose. Fighting on, despite knowing that he lost three matches to us easily, and is already resigned to the fact that he will likely lose this battle as well. Yet, I can tell there is a firm resolve there, an underlying note of defiance that he will use this moment to get stronger, and to try to find a way to win, despite everything that is happening around him.

“Oh,” is all Raygunnr can say to that. It is clear that he likely wants to continue, but then stops himself and switches thoughts to a different question entirely. “Can I ask why?”

“Why what?” Keanu questions, his body and mind already hardening into a ready state of focus as we are now under fifteen minutes of ads remaining.

“Why you fight at all, I mean you already said that you would not take the advancement. You also know that you can’t win,” Raygunnr replies.

“Idiot!” I hiss out, “he fights because he has people and loved ones that he cares for. People who are beyond the scope of battle. Just as we fight for our loved ones back home.”

“Oh,” is Raygunnr’s one word response. I can tell he feels stupid for asking the obvious question, and is now more than a little nervous by the intense focus that is bleeding through our mental connection with Keanu.

Feeling his connection, and his unwavering loyalty to his cause for fighting, I feel something stir deep within me. Well, I feel a lot of things stirring within me, I am a Nympho now, after all. But the one thing I truly feel worth noting is something that is only now possible thanks to Penelope. Inside my pocket, I mentally reach out and do the magical equivalent of tapping the dormant device. A modified and much more powerful version of the beaconing device that Penelope made for all the Simulacrums and core members of the Midnight Hunters to use to state their locations. A simple device that managed to seemingly do the impossible, of traversing realms with a unique magical signature.

Having had that device for months now, we were finally able to adapt it, where we were fairly certain that we could get it to go between the different servers. The rationale was simple, we would offer the best and brightest of the other servers a chance to join us on Biprism.

Feeling the comforting weight of Penelope’s modified beacon design, I relax for a moment and then open up for the first time. Making an offer that I would normally leave up to Mallory, as I don’t want to be involved with Guild recruitment efforts, but for Keanu I’ll make an exception.

“What if I had a way,” I begin.

“A way to what?” Keanu replies back, his mind still focused, though I can tell he is curious about what I am going to offer.

“A way to take your family with you, to join us on Biprism,” I offer.

“How?” Was his one-word response.

“Let me know, are you in? I will get you, and everyone you mark as important. Even your advanced mechanoid unit,” I reply gesturing to the dented and scrape up fighting unit that has clearly seen its fair share of combat.

Keanu paused, letting his mind take in everything. In that pause, I could feel the weight of his thoughts, the intensity of his focus all working and processing. It was clear that he was powerful, that he had gone through a number of personal evolutions, both physically and mentally, but it wasn’t to the same level as mine. The only reason I was able to offer this option so openly, was the fact that I was completely confident in my victory. Not only that, but it was clear that Keanu was also confident in my victory as well.

Finally, with less than a minute left to go before our battle was to begin, Keanu replied back.

“Fine, what do I need to do?” Keanu asked.

Hearing that he was onboard with my plans, I just smiled evily, knowing that I was going to make these producers a lot more angry with me and their product being presented to the masses.

“Just follow my lead,” was my four-word response.

There was a hushed silence as the final few seconds ticked down, as the last ads ended.

“Cheater!” The promo cried out, each promo seemingly angry at the fact that I made it so no one could see the final moves I used to win my battles. Only my opponents would know, as I used one feature that still fortunately worked, even here in these competitions that were held across multiple servers at one time.

“BEGIN!” The booming voice of an artificial referee cried out, speaking to both our mech, and into Keanu’s mech at the same time. A fact that was confirmed a half second later, as an echo of the voice could be heard echoing through our mental link with Keanu.

With the battle started, I moved Raygunnr into a still combat stance, held and then activated the ultimate cheat Skill for these battles Censorship.

The world seemed to pause, and that’s when we moved, Teleporting in the blink of an eye directly behind Keanu and his impressive cyberpunk mech. Once behind him and within distance of my own Personal Teleportation, I hopped again. This time leaving Raygunnr entirely to quickly enter Keanu’s cockpit. Being this close to him, I could feel his power and resolve radiating off of him. My sense were filled with the scent of sandalwood and musk, scents that were almost overpowering to my newly enhanced nympho senses. Fortunately, I was on a mission, allowing me to focus past the sensory distractions and focus my intention on the important matters. Reaching into my suit pocket, I pulled out the Modified Distress Beacon that Penelope had designed the base of, and I had enhanced slightly. Taking the device, I pressed it into Keanu’s left hand. A fact that caused him and by extension his entire mech to jump, as he just now processed the fact that I was there with him, sharing the tight confines of his mech. Yet, not encumbered by the cords or wires that made up his suit.

Seeing me that close, and realizing he was still constrained by his machine, I could see the look of fear, and realization dawn on him. As he realized right then and there, that if I wanted to, I could easily stab him, or worse.

“Take it,” I hiss, applying a bit more pressure to his hand, before I feel him grab the device. While he was moving, his eyes never left my face. In that gaze, I could tell that he realized something right then and there.

“I never stood a chance, did I?” Was all Keanu asked.

I just shook my head. Despite his power and growth, he was still a mortal, going up against a Demi-God. Even with a better space suit, the disparity in our power sets was just too vast.

“Now do me a favor,” I say as I lock gazes with him, letting him know that this next part is important.

“What?” Keanu asks, a note of concern in his voice as he realizes I am suddenly serious.

“Breathe in,” I pause, waiting until Keanu breathes in just as I demand. Seeing that he is complying with my request I immediately Teleport back to the stationary Raygunnr who fortunately just stayed still during that quick ten second trip over to Keanu’s mech.

It takes less than a second for my mind and body to synchronize and refit themselves to Raygunnr’s controlling rig. Just long enough for Keanu to finish filling his lungs with that full burst of air. Being in position behind Keanu and his mech, I can feel his mind almost asking the obvious question, “now what?”

Then I stop my activation of Censorship, allowing the world to catch up to the fact that I have suddenly found myself behind Keanu’s mech with my own. That’s when I reach back, charge up my fist for a Qi, mana, karma, and fire ember infused punch. Then a split second before I release my strike, I give my tow word command.

“Now exhale!” With that, my fist flies forward, causing a wave of light to rip through and cut through these false dimensions of space that has been generated for this battle arena. Striking out, I can feel the universe around me slowing down, as if I am scrubbing away the layer of computer code that is rendering our images and causing the underlying layer of energy to finally show itself in this one attack.

BOOM!

There is an explosion of force, as my blow lands, ending the battle and the competition in one single decisive strike. And for a second, I see the beyond, before the universe seems to catch on that the drapes had been windswept away, temporarily revealed the underlying energy of the universe.