The underground chamber dimmed to a deep blue hue, barely lit by flickering simulation projectors embedded in the steel walls. Lin Chen stood alone in the center of the chamber, his breath steady, muscles tense. The air hummed with the electric buzz of charging systems, and on the screen before him, bold red text blinked:
[System Combat Training: Stage III — Physical Endurance, Reaction Speed, Tactical Execution]Estimated Duration: 90 minutesSurvival Objective: Survive with less than 5% body degradationReward: Unlock Latent Combat Trait (if applicable)
"Lin Chen," the system's synthesized voice intoned, colder than usual. "Warning: This training simulation is rated 'Extreme'. Proceed only if mental and physical fortitude is optimal."
Lin Chen cracked his neck and stepped forward. "Let's push it."
The walls suddenly shifted, reshaping into a 360° urban battlefield. Concrete barriers, scattered debris, flame-scarred cars—everything rendered with hyper-realism.
"Initializing Combat Dummies... Level 3 Hostile AI enabled."
The first wave came without warning.
Three humanoid dummies surged from the shadows, each moving with jerky precision but carrying brutal strength. The first threw a straight punch at Lin Chen's face, faster than any normal human. He ducked instinctively, sweeping the legs of another while twisting to avoid a side kick from the third.
He could feel it immediately—these weren't training bots; they were designed to kill.
The battle lasted minutes, then hours—at least it felt like it.
Every second, Lin Chen's stamina drained. Every movement became heavier, slower. Sweat soaked through his shirt, muscles burned like fire. The AI adapted to his tactics, learning his feints, countering his timing.
He was starting to lose.
"System," he growled between panting breaths, dodging a spinning knee strike. "You call this a test, or are you trying to kill me?"
[Response: Only through death can evolution occur.]
The fourth wave was a nightmare—now the enemies came equipped with simulated exosuits, their blows shattering concrete with every miss. Lin Chen was sent flying, coughing blood, his vision blurring.
He hit the ground hard.
And yet… something flickered in his mind.
That rage.
That refusal.
That need to rise higher.
Just as a metallic boot came crashing down toward his chest, Lin Chen rolled, surged up, and something clicked inside him.
The world slowed.
Time didn't stop—but suddenly he could see things differently. The way a shoulder twitched before a punch. The balance shift before a kick. The air pressure of a feint versus a real strike.
[System Notification: Latent Ability Awakened — Precision Field (Passive)]Description: Grants the host hyper-tactile combat insight, allowing predictive adaptation in close-range combat within a 3-meter radius.
A quiet grin spread across Lin Chen's bloodied lips.
"Let's go again."
This time, he moved like water.
Every movement precise, every counter impossibly timed. He slipped inside punches, ducked under elbows, used enemy momentum against them. The AI tried to adapt, but it was now Lin Chen who had transcended the script.
He wasn't fighting anymore.
He was dominating.
Thirty minutes later, the last training bot collapsed in sparks.
Lin Chen stood tall, breathing heavily, shirt torn, knuckles bleeding—but eyes bright.
[Training Simulation Complete][Performance Rating: S-Rank][Combat Trait: Precision Field (Permanent Passive) — Integrated]
The system spoke again, now with a strange tone. Not quite admiration. More… curiosity.
"Observation: Subject surpassed human tactical limit. Evolution is accelerating."
Lin Chen wiped the blood from his lip, staring at the quiet chamber now returning to its inert state.
"Yeah, and I'm just getting started."
—
Back in his real-world safehouse, Lin Chen sat shirtless before a mirror, examining the subtle tremors in his hands. Not fear. Not exhaustion.
It was adaptation.
He could still feel how his body had changed. Like he'd unlocked a sixth sense for combat—not just knowing how to hit, but why and when to strike.
The system chimed again.
[New Feature Detected: Reflex Reserve Buffer]Automatically triggers a micro-delay counter when sudden close-range attacks are detectedEstimated Survival Increase: +12%Estimated Response Optimization: +19%
He smirked.
The old Lin Chen would've been excited by stock tips and secret investment reports.
This version of him?
He was getting high off upgrades.
And something deep inside whispered: This was only the beginning of a new kind of war.
A war where every breath might mean unlocking the next level.