Daniel stood just outside the Academy's perimeter wall, under the fading light. Five months of training. One month of getting the shit beaten out of him by Jay Leno. His body felt heavier—in a good way. Stronger. Balanced. Controlled.
He pulled up his system window.
[GOLD SYSTEM]
Name: Daniel Valtier
District: VALHALLA
Combat Form: Mixed (Copied Styles: Taekwondo, Taekkyeon, Boxing, Capoeira, Karate)
Physical Condition: Enhanced
Core Stability: Solid
Unique Skill: [COPY] – Recreates any combat technique personally experienced
Combat Status: Active
He swiped the system away with a bored look.
Time to get practical.
Sirris Academy's lower-rankers were always running their mouths.
Rank 40 especially.
Daniel walked through the back corridor of the gym block.
He wasn't sneaking—he just didn't care to be seen.
And there he was.
Mason Drehl. Rank 40.
Leaning against the lockers, talking shit like usual.
Daniel stepped behind him.
"Yow," he said, hands in his pockets.
"I heard that to become a ranker, I gotta knock one down first… so I thought—fortieth sounds like a decent first step."
Mason turned, surprised. His brows furrowed, then curled into a grin.
"Oh really?" he said, stepping forward.
"Then I'll fucking crush you."
No more words.
Mason lunged first.
He was fast. Wild. Elbows, knees, shoulder slams—he fought like a street brawler who never stopped swinging.
Daniel moved sharp but the hits still landed.
A punch grazed his ribs. A knee clipped his chin.
But every blow made him faster. Sharper.
Then, he smiled.
He jumped.
A flying kick drilled Mason clean in the neck
—CRACK!
Somehow Mason couldn't avoid it.
Mason's eyes rolled up as he collapsed like a sack of bricks.
Silence followed.
Daniel stood over him, lips curled into a crooked grin, eyes glowing.
"This is how it begins."
A low laugh slipped out of him, dark and amused.
"Guess I'll take that number now."
And just like that—he was Rank 40.