John sighed, staring up at the ceiling of the cabin.
"A lot of people are probably going to hate this," he muttered. "They don't like systems that give them commands. Everyone wants to do things their own way. But that's not how it works."
He paused, tightening his fists. "In my past life, to become the peak assassin I was, I trained hard — day and night, until my body broke and rebuilt itself. There's no shortcut to strength. There never was. So whatever this system gives me now, I'll do it. Because that's what I would do Anyways."
He looked down at the small purple panel hovering in front of him — the list of his training routine. Simple, almost laughable. "One hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups, one hundred squats, and a ten-kilometer run. Basically, the Saitama routine."
He snorted lightly. "I guess that's fair. I said I'd become the strongest when I came here, didn't I? And being the strongest isn't easy — not in this universe."
His eyes moved to the forest outside. "In this world, you either live like a normal human being, die halfway, or stay ignorant of what's waiting out there. You can't escape danger — it always finds you. After all, this is the Marvel Universe."
He exhaled slowly. "And we're not talking about threats like Thanos alone. Even someone like Loki counts as a threat. I don't even know where this cabin is located. Somewhere near New York, maybe? I'll figure it out later. For now, I need to be ready. Stronger. Not just for myself, but for whatever's coming. Because here, we have beings like Scarlet Witch, Kang the Conqueror, even Death herself. And if this universe is some mix between the MCU and the comics..." He shook his head and smirked. "Then I'll have to train like hell."
His gaze hardened. "I'll have to surpass Hit. Yeah, Hit from Universe 6. I know it sounds insane, but I want to surpass him — be better than him. It'll take time, but I'll do it."
He took a deep breath, closing the system window. "And for that, I need to start with the first synchronization ability I got — Ki manipulation."
He cracked his neck slightly. "Ki. Also called life force or latent energy — the tangible power inside every living being. It gathers around the center of the body, and when drawn out, it can be shaped, controlled, and released. It can enhance strength, speed, endurance, even attacks."
He smirked, remembering old arguments. "In Dragon Ball, fighters increase their Ki to go beyond their limits. The more Ki they have, the stronger they get — but also the harder it becomes to control. That's why Ki control is just as important as Ki power. That's why I have to train, not just to increase my template system, but to improve my synchronization. They're connected."
He chuckled faintly. "You're probably wondering how I know that. Simple. I was an anime freak in my past life — a Dragon Ball nerd. One of those guys who argue online that Goku solos anyone." He rolled his eyes. "There was even one guy who said Akaza from Demon Slayer could beat Goku. I swear, I almost assassinated that guy. I actually found his location once. God or who ever he serves probably saved him that day.
Anyway..." he waved a hand, grinning faintly, "...that was the old me. Now, back to training."
At that moment, John was already nearing the end of his workout. "Ninety-eight... ninety-nine... one hundred."
He dropped to the ground, panting. Sweat rolled down his face, but his eyes burned with focus.
Not only did he finish the Saitama workout, but he added his old assassin drills too — one hundred jumping jacks, one hundred high knees, one hundred jump squats, one hundred planks, one hundred plank jump-ins, one hundred wide-leg planks, one hundred climb bars, and one hundred squat holds.
That was the kind of training that once made him the world's deadliest killer. But now, this body could take even more.
He sat down, catching his breath. "Damn... this new body's holding up better than I expected." He leaned back on the grass, letting the sound of the forest fill his ears — birds singing, wind brushing through the trees, the quiet rustle of small animals. Compared to the distant hum of the city, it felt like another world.
After a few minutes, he crossed his legs and closed his eyes. It's time."
He began focusing inward, drawing in slow, steady breaths. "Ki is invisible to normal eyes. Unless it's condensed into a visible form — like the Kamehameha. But when you concentrate it enough, it radiates as an aura. You can use it to strengthen your body, sharpen your mind, and enhance your focus."
Gradually, faint energy began to glow around him — soft at first, then pulsing gently like a heartbeat. Purple light flickered off his skin like tiny flames.(A/N: why is it purple though?)
He held the focus, sweat beading down his neck, until the glow dimmed. He opened his eyes. "Not bad," he muttered. "But it takes stamina to maintain. I can't keep that up for long... not yet."
He stood up, brushing himself off. "Alright. Time for the final part — the ten-kilometer run."
Back in the cabin, he changed into lighter clothes — joggers and a thin shirt. But something caught his attention.
"Wait... these fit perfectly." He checked the drawers — more clothes, all his size. Then the pantry — shelves stocked with canned food and supplies that could last two months.
He frowned. "Was Janet expecting someone to stay here? Or did she already plan this?" He sighed. "Whatever. I'll think about it later."
Stretching his arms, he opened the system menu again. His synchronization level still read five percent, but there was something new under it — a small icon labeled
[Grade: F].
He tilted his head. "Huh? What's that?"
"System," he said aloud, "what does this Grade mean?"
> System: "Template Integration Grade— measures the overall synchronization between user and template. Each grid reflects efficiency, durability, speed, and perception growth."
John raised a brow. "So... I've got an F-grade. What does F mean?"
> System: "F signifies street-level combat capacity."
"Street level?" he repeated with a smirk. "So what, I'm basically Captain America without the Shield?"
The system said nothing.
"Yeah, thought so," he said, stretching again. "Pre-programmed."
Still, he could feel it — the difference. The same workouts that once took him hours, he'd done in minutes. His breathing was heavy but controlled. His body felt solid. Ready.
"Let's see what 'street level' really means."
He started jogging into the forest, keeping a steady pace.
Not fast, but manageable. "At this rate, I'll finish in half an hour," he muttered.
"But I can go faster."
He began gathering Ki, coating himself with that faint purple aura again.
The ground cracked slightly under his feet.
Then, with a deep breath, he pushed off —
BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The air exploded behind him as a sonic boom was created, he shot forward, a violet blur tearing through the trees. For a split second, the world froze around him — and then, suddenly,
.
.
.
Crash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He slammed into a tree, splintering it apart and rolling across the ground.
Groaning, John sat up. "Okay... maybe too much Ki."
He looked around — the tree was practically broken in half. He brushed off dirt and leaves. "Still, not bad.
That's more than half a kilometer in two seconds. That was close to Mach 1" (A/N: for those who don't know Mach 1 is the speed of sound)
He glanced around quickly, checking if anyone saw him. "Good... no witnesses."
Straightening his back, he coughed and jogged casually away from the wreck. "Totally part of the plan," he muttered, pretending like nothing happened.