Ryan leaned against the wall outside the store, clutching the cold plastic bag in one hand. A carton of milk swung inside, its condensation chilling his fingers.
"Man…" he muttered under his breath, the events of the last few minutes replaying in his head. "I would've been so screwed if that cop hadn't shown up."
The sting in his cheek pulsed with each word. He prodded it gently and winced. His body still felt weak—pathetic even.
Sucks to be this weak…
He started walking, sneakers crunching faintly against the gravel as the streetlamps bathed the narrow road in dim light.
His mind kept drifting back to Arthur—his calm eyes, his precise movements, his overwhelming presence. Arthur wasn't just strong; he was on another level entirely.
"I want to be strong," Ryan whispered, almost like he was admitting it to himself for the first time. "I want to be like Arthur… and those other guys who don't have to be scared all the damn time."
DING!
The System's voice was as casual as ever.[You could definitely be like them, Host… but only if you work for it. Let's conquer this together. You need to train harder and get in better shape before the tournament.]
Ryan sighed, a puff of white mist forming in the cool evening air. "Yeah… you're right. I don't really have a choice, do I?"
[Correct, Host. Unless you prefer getting beaten up by street punks for fun.]
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Ryan grumbled, adjusting his pace toward home.
When he got back, he tossed the milk into the fridge and immediately headed for his small desk, where the faint blue glow of the System interface appeared before his eyes.
[Stats Updated.]
Ryan's eyes scanned the screen, and he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.[Boxing Jab – Rank: D]
"Damn… nice. Level D already." He flexed his small hands, the knuckles still raw from earlier. "But it's just a jab… I need better techniques, something that can actually win me a fight, not just poke someone in the nose."
Curious, he scrolled further down.
[Strength: D-]
[Speed: E]
[Potential: Unidentified]
[Intelligence: C-]
[Endurance: D]
A small sense of pride swelled in him. "At least I'm getting better. Not just sitting around like I used to… wasting time on nothing."
For a long while, he just stared at the faint glow of the stats, his reflection ghosted against it. His eyes were heavy, and before he knew it, sleep dragged him under.
The next morning, the familiar chaos of school life greeted him. Chatter filled the hallways, lockers slammed shut, and somewhere, someone was shouting about a late assignment.
Ryan then entered his classroom and slowly went to his seat, found out that Arthur was already in his seat— head rested on the desk.
He slowly went closer and sat on his seat as teacher started taking the attendance.
Ryan started thinking. "Man I want to ask him to train me because I can't do shit alone."
In deep thinking he thought. "Will he agree to train me or will I just piss him off?"
He hesitated, then forced the words out. "Hey… Arthur."
Arthur then slowly picked his head up, no facial expressions at all. "Yo."
Ryan gulped, as he muttered. "Uh... would you, uh... help me train? For the Inter-Club Tournament."
Arthur's gaze lingered on him for a moment, unreadable, before he answered flatly, "Fine. I don't mind."
Ryan blinked. "Wait, really? Just like that?"
Arthur gave a small shrug. "I don't repeat myself."
Ryan bit back a grin. "Thanks, Arthur."
After the class ended, Arthur and Ryan both went to the School-Gym. The Gym was empty when they entered, the faint smell of the chalk and dust lingered in the air as they made their way near the treadmill section.
The dim winter sunlight filtered through the high windows, casting pale strips of light across the polished wooden floor.
Arthur walked in first, his gym bag slung casually over his shoulder. Without even looking, he tossed it towards a chair in the far corner.
Thud.
The bag landed perfectly on the seat, straps folding neatly. He didn't even glance at it.
Ryan stared, his jaw slightly open. "…What the hell…"
Inside of Ryan's mind— he said. 'System... Can you scan the stats of Arthur once again for me?'
[DING!]
[Yes host, I can do that.]
[Scanning target's stats…]
The System's voice rang in his head, and a moment later, the interface lit up.
[Arthur Kane]
[Strength: S]
[Speed: S]
[Intelligence: S]
[Endurance: S]
[Potential: Limitless Evolution – No fixed cap. Capable of surpassing all standard growth limits through sustained effort.]
Ryan's eyes widened. "…He's a monster."
[Yes, Host. And you sparred with him. Statistically, you should not have survived without serious injury.]
"Wow, thanks for the reminder," Ryan muttered.
Arthur's voice cut in, pulling him from his thoughts. "One hour on the treadmill."
Ryan blinked. "Wh—what?!"
Arthur looked at him without an ounce of sympathy. "I don't repeat myself."
The chill in his tone sent a shiver down Ryan's spine. He quickly scrambled toward the treadmill, the sound of his sneakers hitting the machine echoing in the empty room.
This is gonna kill me… he thought, but somewhere deep in his chest, that same ember of determination from last night flickered brighter.