Ryan's breath caught in his throat.
He'd closed his eyes on instinct, fully expecting the blow to land — the kind that shattered teeth, fractured jawbones, or turned memories into static. His entire body had braced for the impact, his mind whispering a desperate farewell to consciousness.
But nothing came.
No pain. No ringing in the ears. Just… stillness.
Slowly, cautiously, Ryan peeled his eyes open.
Standing before him was Maya.
Her arm was extended out, muscles tensed, forearm pressed against Arthur's oncoming strike, blocking the elbow that had been just seconds from caving Ryan's skull in. Her feet were planted wide, her stance solid… but her face? Calm. Focused. Annoyed, even.
Arthur's arm was still cocked mid-motion, frozen in place, his knuckles just inches from Ryan's face.
"…Why did you interfere?" he asked flatly.
Maya exhaled slowly, the tension between them like a bowstring drawn to its limit. "Whoa, control, buddy. This isn't a cage match."
Her arm didn't shake — but Ryan could see it. The subtle twitch in her wrist. The way her back foot shifted slightly, as if absorbing the sheer pressure Arthur was putting out even without trying.
Arthur clicked his tongue and pulled his arm back with a sigh. "That wasn't even half my strength."
Maya lowered her guard and rolled her shoulder. "Yeah, and if you had landed it, this kid's IQ would've dropped to single digits."
Arthur grabbed his towel from the ropes, slung it over his shoulder, and reached for his water bottle. "He said he knew how to jab," he muttered.
Ryan, still frozen in place, finally collapsed backward with a heavy gasp. His back hit the mat, sweat soaking through his shirt as he stared up at the ceiling. His heart was hammering like a war drum in his ears.
Maya turned slightly and glanced at her forearm. Already, a faint red bruise was blooming beneath her skin.
'This wasn't even half his strength,' she thought grimly. Her lips pressed into a line. 'And I already bruised? Tsk… I'm so damn weak. If he's like him… then I still have so far to go.'
For a brief moment, her eyes clouded.
A flicker of memory. A shadowed silhouette. Towering. Chiseled. An aura of absolute dominance radiating from a man in her mind — his figure sharp and unwavering, like a deity carved from war itself.
Arthur's strength… it was near his.
But not quite.
She blinked the thought away.
Back in the ring, Ryan heard the familiar mechanical tone of the system.
[DING! Quest Complete.]
[You survived 15 seconds against Arthur Kane.]
[Rewards: Arthur's Interest +1. Maya's Interest +1.]
He let out a breathless laugh. "No kidding... I survived…"
His limbs trembled. He was sure if Maya hadn't stepped in, he would've been carted out of the gym on a stretcher. The blow Arthur stopped — Ryan didn't even want to imagine what damage it would've done.
He turned his head to the side and saw Maya walking toward him with a bottle of water. She knelt beside him and offered it with a smirk.
"Here, dead man. Drink."
He accepted it gratefully and chugged. The water was warm, but it tasted like life itself. He coughed halfway through but didn't stop until he emptied the whole thing.
"Thanks…" he said, his voice hoarse.
Maya leaned on one knee, tilting her head. "You've got balls, I'll give you that. Not many people dare to step into a ring with Arthur on day two."
Ryan wiped his mouth. "Didn't feel brave. Felt more like walking into a meat grinder."
She laughed. "Your jab wasn't bad. A little slow, too much shoulder tilt, but decent for a newbie. You've got potential."
Ryan's chest warmed — not from exertion this time, but something else. Pride, maybe. Or gratitude.
'I'm… being complimented?'
He wasn't used to this.
Being noticed. Being seen as more than a punchline. Being acknowledged by people like Maya or Arthur — monsters in their own right.
He smiled weakly. "Thanks. Really."
Maya stood and extended a hand. "Come on, Rookie. You're gonna cramp up if you lie there too long."
He grabbed her hand, and she hoisted him up with surprising strength. He wobbled a bit but caught himself. His arms were dead. His legs might as well have been jelly. But somehow, standing there beside her, he felt… sturdy. Like maybe he wouldn't be broken after all.
Arthur, leaning against the wall near the exit, glanced back once. "Tch. Not bad, fatass."
Ryan blinked. Did he just… compliment me?
Arthur turned and walked out the gym doors without another word.
Ryan turned to Maya, still trying to catch his breath. "He… did he just…"
"Yeah," Maya said, smiling. "That's about as close to praise as you'll ever get from him."
Ryan chuckled. "Noted."
As they walked out of the ring together, Maya draped a towel over his neck. "Come back tomorrow. Same time."
"Huh?"
"You wanna get stronger, right?" she said, eyes flashing with challenge. "I'm gonna train with you and Arthur. You've got potential, Ryan West. But potential's useless if you don't build it into power."
He blinked. "You… both of you?"
"Yup." She said with a soft smile on her face.
Ryan felt the weight of her words settle over him.
He'd spent most of his life invisible. A nobody. The kid in the back no one wanted to sit with. But now…
Now he had a system. Quests. Power. And people.
People who could've crushed him — but instead were offering him a hand.
He looked at Maya. "I'll be there."
"Good," she said, turning toward the door.
Ryan laughed. Weak, sore, and bruised.
But he was happy.
As he limped out of the gym behind her, the system chimed again softly in his ear.
[DING! Hidden Stat Unlocked: Willpower – F Rank.]
He got hocked because of the random echo. 'What the fuck? A random stat unlock?'
[DING!]
[Yes host, you triggered the hidden stat feature.]
'Oh... that's just... interesting.'