Rudi thought for a while and then took a book out from his bag.
"This martial art is called Wing Chun. It is a hand to hand combat technique. Even warriors and assassins use this combat technique after awakening. This is also called kung fu."
He placed the book down and took out another one.
"It is karate."
He placed it beside the first book.
"This is boxing."
"This is Muay Thai."
"Krav Maga."
Rudi handed him those books one after another, arranging them neatly on the table so Victor could see them clearly.
"These are all hand to hand combat techniques as well as body strengthening methods. Jake is proficient in both boxing and kung fu, earning him the title of a rare fighting genius," Rudi said with a tone that carried a faint sense of melancholy.
He himself had once been a fighting genius as well. However, after failing to awaken, society had labeled him as useless, someone without future potential. That change in status still lingered in his expression whenever he spoke about awakened individuals.
Victor listened carefully while looking at the books.
"Thanks, brother. Let's eat first."
Then both of them sat at the table and started eating the bread Rudi had brought earlier.
The room remained quiet except for the sound of chewing and occasional movement of the chair.
"Do we have anything to sell in the shop?" Victor asked while eating.
"Yes, some E level dungeon materials. I will arrange them after eating. What will you do?" Rudi replied after a brief pause.
"I will go for a run."
"Alright. Be careful out there," Rudi nodded and finished his meal before leaving to handle the shop inventory.
Victor finished his food as well and stepped outside.
The air outside was slightly cool. Without wasting time, he started running at full speed.
In just two minutes, his stamina dropped sharply. His breathing became heavy, and his chest rose and fell rapidly.
However, his mana circulated through his body on its own, stabilizing his condition and restoring his stamina quickly. The recovery was not instant, but it was fast enough for him to continue without stopping.
He did not slow down.
Victor kept running like a man possessed, maintaining his pace for one hour to complete his ten kilometer routine.
People on the street occasionally turned their heads to look at him. Some thought he was training seriously, while others assumed he was simply reckless or abnormal.
Victor did not pay attention to any of them.
At one point, he considered buying a treadmill, but then he shook his head. Running outside had its own advantages. The uneven ground, the air resistance, and the unpredictable environment all contributed to better physical adaptation.
After completing his run, he returned to the shop and took a shower.
[Physique: 8.035]
Ten thousand meters of running was equivalent to five points of progress.
Victor was not discouraged by the slow improvement. He had already accepted that growth required repetition and discipline. After showering, he picked up the martial arts books Rudi had given him.
He had never read them before, not because he lacked interest, but because he had always felt distant from the idea of practicing combat techniques. That changed after awakening. Now, he no longer ignored anything that could increase his strength.
He read all the books in a single night.
After finishing, a clear idea formed in his mind. He wanted to merge all the techniques into a unified system, something more efficient and adaptable than any single style.
[Ding! Unparalleled Comprehension is activated. You have comprehended a non elemental martial technique. You can name it yourself.]
Victor was pleasantly surprised. His comprehension ability extended beyond elemental knowledge. It also applied to physical combat techniques.
He named the newly created system "Victor's Combat Technique."
Without delay, he began practicing it immediately.
Within one minute, sweat began forming on his skin.
By the third minute, every fiber of his body felt strained. His muscles reacted sharply to each movement, as if rejecting the unfamiliar patterns.
By the fifth minute, after completing the full stance sequence, he collapsed onto the ground like a heavy log.
The floor beneath him became soaked with sweat.
His breathing was irregular, and he remained still for several moments. Eventually, exhaustion overtook him completely, and he fell asleep as mana circulated through his body, slowly repairing the damage caused by training.
One hour later, he woke up.
His entire body was still in pain. Every movement caused discomfort, and he understood clearly that he would not be able to repeat the technique again that day.
[Physique: 8.04]
Five minutes of the new technique produced an effect similar to ten kilometers of running.
From that day onward, his routine became fixed. Morning sessions consisted of intense running and physical conditioning. Night sessions were dedicated to combat technique training before sleep.
A full month passed.
During this time, he focused entirely on physical development and completely ignored elemental training.
[Physique: 10]
At this stage, he could sustain combat technique training for up to thirty minutes.
His body had undergone significant refinement. Although he was still within the category of ordinary humans, he had reached the absolute peak of that classification.
He then attempted to combine fire and water elements while maintaining his enhanced physical state.
To his surprise, he succeeded.
He was able to use two elements simultaneously without harming his body.
"Hahahaha. It is time to register as an apprentice," he thought.
He had waited one month because even talented awakeners typically required that duration to comprehend their first spell. His development had followed a similar timeline, and now he considered himself ready.
"Before that, let's comprehend the remaining nine techniques," he thought and began studying them.
[Aqua Shield — forms a thin barrier of rotating water for defense.]
[Mist Veil — creates a dense fog to obscure vision.]
[Healing Spring — produces a small pool of restorative water.]
These three were among the most prominent spells in his grimoire. Each had strategic value, but the healing spell held the greatest importance for him personally.
His physical training involved continuous strain and injury. Without recovery methods, progress would be limited.
With this spell, he could extend his training sessions and reduce recovery time.
In addition, he understood the value of healing abilities in dungeon environments. Healers were always in high demand, and healing serums or potions were extremely valuable resources.
He was now fully prepared to enter a dungeon.
[Ding! The 10 basic water spells merged and you have comprehended basic water manipulation.]
[Combat prowess: 30 star]
Victor nodded with satisfaction before getting ready to leave.
During the past month, the shop had received only seven customers, and only four of them made purchases. As a result, Rudi had become noticeably more relaxed and less active than before.
Victor took the scooter and headed toward the Federation Hall.
Before entering any dungeon, registration was mandatory.
He parked the scooter in the designated area.
The guard at the entrance looked at him with mild curiosity, but Victor ignored the reaction and walked inside.
He proceeded directly to the reception desk.
"Where do I get my registration card?" he asked.
The receptionist, a young woman, glanced at him without much interest.
"Go to room number four."
Victor thanked her and walked toward the designated room.
Inside, a middle aged man was seated behind a desk.
"Sir, I would like to apply for my hunter card," Victor said politely.
"Sure. Show me what you have got," the man replied.
Victor raised his hand, and a fireball formed in his palm. He then threw it toward the target dummy positioned in the room.
The fireball struck cleanly.
The man observing him widened his eyes slightly.
"He did not use an incantation," he thought.
"Not bad. Put your hand on the crystal. Your card will be ready," the man said after a brief pause.
Victor nodded and placed his hand on the crystal.
Immediately, his full details appeared. His elemental affinity, potential value, and awakening date were displayed clearly.
The man stood up from his chair.
This was the most unusual stat profile he had ever seen.
This boy was a supreme trash with having all the elemental affinity and potential value of ten. However, the comprehension ability was extraordinary. He had awakened only one month ago, yet his progress already showed abnormal efficiency.
The man felt a sense of pity for him.
Such a genius in comprehension, but bad luck.
"I need to inform the higher ups," he thought before preparing Victor's card.
Victor examined the card once it was handed to him. It was an F rank hunter card, equivalent to the Apprentice realm awakener classification.
"Kid, practice well. I hope you can create a miracle," the man said and sighed.
Victor nodded once and left the hall without replying further.
His next destination was the E rank green dungeon located outside the city.