After that fight, I stopped for a moment to reflect.
Do I regret beating up those guys? No. Not at all. They basically said they were going to rape me, so honestly... I think beating them up was too soft.
But... what am I now?
In my past life, I was a guy. So obviously, I should feel weird about all this.
Now I'm in the body of a younger Juri Han... I don't know exactly how old I am in this life, but I'm definitely underage.
When I woke up here, I had nothing with me. No ID, no documents, nothing legally valid.
I don't feel like I have a split personality or some existential crisis.
But I do wonder... did I bring something of her with me?
My movements, my fighting style... no way. There's no way I could beat five grown men on my own.
But not only did I do that, I also took their money.
And... I liked it. All of it. The fight, the moves... it was perfect.
I don't know why I'm here, but I'm going to enjoy this life. I'll say and do everything I couldn't in the last one.
"Hahaha… yeah."
I look at the bag in my hand, stop, and count what's inside.
"Basically five thousand dollars. Screw it… I guess getting rich in Gotham isn't easy, but this is the most money I've ever had," I said to myself.
Looks like the world smiled at me.
...
"I guess this'll do," I say, looking around. "Do" is a strong word, honestly.
I'm currently in an abandoned building, not far from downtown Gotham.
And yeah, now I'm sure it's Gotham — I saw a journalist talking about Batman and some Robin on a TV in a shop window... I wonder which of the fifty Robins that one was.
Anyway, back to the important part: the building has three floors, and I chose this place because, surprisingly, it still has running water and electricity.
It's a mess, of course, but with a little effort, it'll be fine. I can fix it.
I don't even know what time it is. I'm not really tired... but I guess I should sleep a bit, just in case.
Gotham / Morning
They say sleeping solves half your problems. They were right.
Looking around — the bare walls, the dirt on the floor — I'm excited to see how this room will turn out.
Time to take a walk.
...
When I leave the building, I find myself on an almost deserted street — very different from the lack of movement last night. The asphalt is dirty, covered with torn bags, soggy newspapers, and that typical stench of a forgotten city.
The sunlight tries to break through the gray sky, but it feels more like a taunt than a good morning — like it's flipping me off. It's not hot, but the dry, muggy air makes everything a little uncomfortable.
If I didn't know exactly where I was, I could even say it's a nice place to live... that is, if your idea of a "nice place" includes chaos, abandonment, and a constant hint of danger.
As I walk around, I decide to go shopping, buy some cleaning supplies, because I'm dirty and I need a bath.
A phone — I'm a tech freak, I need to have a phone in my hand or I'll lose my mind.
And clothes... that's gonna be fun heheh.
Heading downtown, I look for stores with the stuff I need. First, I decide to go to a cellphone and tech shop.
After asking around a bit, hmm. Talking to the few people on the street.
Apparently, there's only one store where I can buy quality stuff that doesn't come with defects or people trying to scam you.
[Interior – WayneTech Express – Gotham City Mall]
What the hell is this? A tech store or an art gallery? The walls are so white they almost blind me, everything absurdly organized, and the employees dressed in black with a discreet Wayne Enterprises logo — minimalism on hard mode.
I keep thinking... maybe I should hire these people to organize my building?
I walked through the aisles trying to find what I came for. I don't know much about DC world tech, but Wayne Enterprises surely has stuff more advanced than anything from my previous world... right?
A receptionist approaches me with a professional smile plastered on her face.
"Good morning, miss. How can I help you?" she says, still smiling.
"Ahhh, I want to buy a cellphone."
"Ah, of course! WayneTech has the best on the market..." she starts, but I cut her off before she launches into that sales pitch.
Honestly? I don't give a damn about brands or any stupid ads. I just have a few basic requirements for my phone.
"I just want a phone with unlimited internet, good headphones, and, if possible, one I can customize. Got something like that?" I say with some boredom, like I'm choosing an ice cream flavor.
After all, I have over five grand in my pocket. Loaded. I don't need to please anyone... though maybe I'm getting a bit arrogant.
"Hah... sure, we have phones like that. The best-selling one that meets your needs is the Phoenix S2. It has unlimited satellite internet via Wayne, the headphones come with bass and treble enhancement tech, and you can customize the look right here in the store," the receptionist replies. She starts a little unsure, but quickly returns to her professional tone. Years of practice, probably.
"How much is it?" I ask, hoping I can afford it instead of ending up stealing one from Batman.
"It's around 1,500 dollars. With insurance, it's 2,500. If you want, we can do the customization for you here."
"Sure. I'll take that one. For the customization... I want it purple, with a spider design on the back," I say after thinking a bit. If I'm not wrong, that's Juri's theme.
Oh, and I don't need insurance. Who'd dare rob me?
"Humm, we can do that, miss. Do you have any ID?" she asks, still smiling.
"No. Shit... knew I was forgetting something. Is that a problem?" I ask with fake shame.
"It's not a problem... Would you like a SIM card as well?"
She doesn't look totally convinced by my story, but honestly, I don't care.
"Sure" I reply, smiling.
...
When I left the store, I had a purple cellphone in hand, with a black spider drawn on the back. The spider's legs almost touched the screen, as if about to break through it.
"It's really beautiful," I thought to myself.
And the best part is, purple has always been my favorite color in my past life, along with black... and then blue.
Now
Going to an alternative clothing store was harder than I expected. The woman could barely understand what I wanted... also, with my zero drawing skills and explaining like an idiot, that didn't help.
But, surprisingly, she understood. After almost 30 minutes trying to figure me out, she ended up sketching two outfits for me.
"How long will it take to make these clothes?" I asked, excited.
"Shut up, brat. I think about two days to finish everything... ahh, let's take your measurements and then get out of my shop." What a grumpy woman.
"These clothes... the second one I get, but why do you want the other? That kind of thing shouldn't be worn by girls your age," she said while measuring me.
"I'm gonna beat up some idiots tonight... I need money," I said while striking a T-pose.
"Hmm... you've got money for custom clothes... why don't you just leave this shithole city?" she asked in a surprisingly concerned tone. Who would've guessed, the old lady has a heart.
"Don't worry, I can take care of myself... and I need the money. The crooks in this city love giving gifts. How do you think I'm gonna pay you?" I asked with a smile.
"Any chance I can make you change your mind?"
"No."
"Troublemaker girl... where are your parents, huh?"
...
"I see... well, I'm done. I'll add a special touch to your outfit. Come back tomorrow afternoon," she said, tired.
"Thanks for the help. How much is it?"
"Nothing. Just get lost already," she replied with that usual grumpiness.
"I'll want more clothes besides these. Can you help me pick them? I'm terrible at it..." I said, but truth is, I only know how to choose clothes based on what I thought looked cool on girls in my old world.
...
After that, I went to a few appliance stores and stopped by the supermarket for groceries. I ended up paying a hundred bucks to some idiot to help me carry everything to my building.
But honestly, it was worth it. Less work for me. Of course, I still had to carry it all to the top floor. Why did I choose to live on the third floor again? Stupidity?
Before putting everything away, I had to clean up the mess. At least tidying up is something I actually enjoy doing.
An hour later, I needed a break. If not, I'd end up destroying the building myself from how irritated I was.
The apartment is small, but it has charm... or at least it will, once I finish fixing it. It's on the third floor of an old building, with creaky stairs and peeling walls — totally "no one will bother you here" vibe.
Inside, the living room is connected to the kitchen, open-style, with worn wooden floors. The windows are big, giving a view of most of the city — and at night, it even looks pretty. Still kinda empty, just the basics: an old couch I got for free, a brand-new fridge (the only expensive thing I bought), and an improvised table with two mismatched chairs.
There's one bedroom and one bathroom, that's it. But it's quiet, peaceful... and now it's my space.
By the time I finished, it was already night. I actually wanted to go beat up some idiots, but this time, I was really tired.
I also wanted to pick up my clothes... But they'll only be ready tomorrow. Clothes first, then the "gifts," hahaha.
...
"So, what do you think?" — asked the grumpy old woman, arms crossed and already expecting complaints.
"It's perfect, honestly," I replied with a corner smile. "This is gonna be my vigilante outfit — if you can call it that."
The outfit was basically Juri's base version from Street Fighter IV.
The top was a short black sports-style top, with spiderweb-like lines stretching to the arms — more like combat gear than clothing, and I loved that.
The gloves were fingerless, black with pink details. Simple but stylish. And the pants... oh man, the pants were white, loose-fitting, with neon pink accents, and a wide black belt holding it all together. It gave full freedom of movement without looking sloppy.
On my feet, no sneakers. Way better than wearing sneakers all day — and perfect for kicking idiots around.
(Note/Image of the outfit — It's a younger version of Juri. The explanation about the age comes later. It's just perfect, that's all I'm saying.)
"Thanks," I said sincerely this time. It really was great.
"Hmph... whatever." — she muttered, arms crossed. — "The other one will take a bit longer. You said to prioritize this one, and I ran out of purple fabric."
She was clearly annoyed. And honestly, I can't blame her. She made this one for free, just because I asked.
I mean, she spent materials, time, and didn't get anything in return. But also... I did spend a bunch of money buying other ready-made clothes at her shop, so it wasn't a total loss. Maybe the problem is something else.
Truth is? She just doesn't like me.
"Alright, alright, I'm leaving!" — I said, walking out.
"Be careful!" — she said, voice slightly concerned. Honestly... that got to me a little.
"It's all good. You take care too. After all, no one else makes me free clothes." — I said with a devilish grin.
"You little... hmm... what's your name, brat?" — she asked, annoyed.
"It's rude to ask someone's name without introducing yourself first, old lady." — I replied, smiling as always.
"Old lady's your grandma, brat. My name is Julia Smith. And yours?"
Hmm. I liked her smile.
"My name is Juri Han... but with this outfit..."
...
"Ahhh!" A scream echoes, followed by a deadly silence.
Inside an abandoned warehouse, several clowns lie unconscious on the floor. Only two remain.
One of them charges at me. I take a step back, his punch grazing past my face.
"What...?" He starts to say, but I cut him off with a clean sweep.
Before he even hits the floor, I punch him square in the face.
"You talk too much for someone who goes down in two hits. Only one left now... I hope you're not as weak as these idiots. After all, you're the one who's gonna pay for my motorcycle." I say, flashing a sarcastic smile.
"Hahahahaha! I'm not as weak as my friends. I—"
"Cut the crap and get in stance! Let's fight. I've got a bike to buy. I'm not walking around like some lunatic ever again. If Batman gets a car, why can't I have a bike?" I say, glaring at him.
"I wonder who the real lunatic is here..." he mutters, looking confused.
"What did you say, asshole?" I snap. He's gotta be crazy.
A strange silence fills the warehouse.
"Who are you?" he asks, taking a fighting stance.
"Hahahaha... Call me Widow."
To be continued...