The alley was quiet, eerily so, the early morning mist curling around the puddles on the cracked pavement. Haneul's body ached from the previous day's training—muscles tight, knuckles bruised, ribs still sore from minor injuries—but the System's quiet hum in his mind reminded him that this was the test he had been preparing for.
[Quest: Defeat Mini-Boss – "The Iron Fist"][Objective: Survive and land decisive strikes against opponent][Reward: Boxing Perk – "Power Surge I"]
He stepped into the open lot near the abandoned warehouse. The mini-boss stood there waiting: a tall, broad-shouldered figure with a reputation that had already stirred whispers in the district. Known simply as Baek Hyun-soo, he had trained in underground fighting circles and was notorious for overwhelming anyone weaker than him. His fists were thick, calloused, and capable of breaking bones with ease. The moment he noticed Haneul, a smirk tugged at his lips.
"You're the skinny kid they call Spot-Face?" Hyun-soo's voice was low and mocking. "Let's see if the stories are true."
Haneul's stomach twisted. Every instinct screamed to run, but he had trained, adapted, and evolved since that night in the rain. The purple glow of Shadow Mode began to coil along his veins, subtle at first, then brightening as he stepped forward.
[Shadow Mode Activated: +20% speed and precision for 5 minutes]
The first strike came instantly. Hyun-soo's fist crashed toward Haneul's ribs with the force of a sledgehammer. Haneul barely twisted, feeling the familiar white-hot pain slice through him as the blow connected more than he would have liked. Pain. Shock. Fear. It was exactly the same sensation he had endured countless times in school fights—but amplified, more dangerous.
[Damage Taken: 15/50][Reflex +0.3]
Haneul staggered back, nearly collapsing onto the wet ground. The mist swirled around him, and for a fleeting second, doubt crept in. Could he really survive this? Could he really fight someone who could crush him with a single strike? His mind flashed back to all the times he had been beaten, laughed at, humiliated… the sting of each memory making his body tense.
But he drew a ragged breath and remembered the System's lessons: precision, timing, adaptation. He ducked low, letting Hyun-soo's next swing fly over his shoulder. His fist rose in a tight, practiced arc, landing a clean hook to the mini-boss's jaw. Pain lanced through Haneul's knuckles, but the System logged the strike immediately.
[Hit Logged: +2 Strength][Skill Progress: Counter Strike II unlocked]
The fight became a blur of blood, rain, and adrenaline. Hyun-soo's fists were relentless, each blow driving Haneul to the edge. He tasted blood, felt bruises forming along ribs and shoulders, and came within an inch of collapsing multiple times. He faltered, a sloppy block letting a punch graze his temple, sending him crashing to one knee. The fog of near-defeat pressed in, yet something deep inside refused to let him give up.
"Endure… adapt… strike!" the System urged.
Haneul focused. He remembered the subtle lessons from Shadow Mode, the rotations, the weight shifts, the timing of each strike. His movements became sharper, almost instinctive, dodging, weaving, countering. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he landed a decisive uppercut that sent Hyun-soo stumbling backward, finally gaining the opening he needed to finish the match.
[Mini-Boss Defeated][Reward: Power Surge I – +10% strength for 3 minutes of combat][Endurance +1.0, Reflex +0.8, Strength +1.2]
Haneul sank to the ground, bruised, battered, every muscle screaming in agony. His chest heaved, and blood dripped from a split lip, mixing with rainwater on his face. The victory felt surreal. He had felt real fear, real pain—pain he had once believed he couldn't survive—and yet he had endured. He had won.
He lifted his gaze, seeing the faint purple glow of Shadow Mode slowly fade, leaving only the soreness and exhaustion as evidence of his struggle. And yet, beneath it all, a fierce, unstoppable determination burned.
"I… I survived," he whispered, trembling. "But next time… I'll make it easier."