Michael didn't go upstairs right away.
He stayed in the gym.
Alone.
The door was still slightly open from where the men had left. Cold air slipped inside, mixing with the smell of sweat and metal.
Normal.
Everything looked normal again.
Except it wasn't.
Michael flexed his hand slowly.
No spark.
No crackle.
Nothing.
"…Great," he muttered. "Now you disappear."
His arm throbbed where the baton hit him.
His shoulder wasn't much better.
Real damage.
No system fixing that.
That was the first thing he understood clearly now:
This wasn't a safety net.
If he got hit, he got hurt.
If he messed up, he paid for it.
The screen appeared again.
Calm.
Like nothing had happened.
[EVENT COMPLETED]
Survive encounter
[REWARD: +50 TP]
[TP: 50]
Michael stared at it.
"…So this is it," he said quietly. "This is how I grow."
Not in the fight.
After it.
He leaned back against the wall, exhaling slowly.
His mind replayed everything.
The timing.
The reactions.
The electricity.
It wasn't random anymore.
It followed something.
Tension. Intent. Contact.
"…So I can trigger it," he murmured.
"Just… badly."
He looked at the screen again.
Then focused.
Not on the words—
On the feeling of interacting with it.
The interface shifted slightly.
Responding.
[TP USAGE AVAILABLE]
Increase Template %
Improve Control
Minor Stat Enhancement
Michael narrowed his eyes.
"…Okay," he said. "Now we're talking."
He didn't press anything immediately.
That would be stupid.
Instead, he pushed himself off the wall and walked toward the middle of the gym.
Every step measured.
Every movement intentional.
He picked up a small metal weight.
Held it in his hand.
"…Let's confirm first," he muttered.
He tightened his grip.
Slightly.
Nothing.
More pressure.
A faint spark flickered—
Then disappeared instantly.
Michael exhaled.
"Still there," he said.
"Just inconsistent."
Good.
That meant it wasn't gone.
He looked back at the system.
Time to spend.
"Control first," he said quietly.
He selected:
Improve Control
The reaction was immediate.
A strange sensation ran through his arm.
Not pain.
Not power.
Adjustment.
Like his nerves were being… reorganized.
Not stronger.
More precise.
He inhaled sharply.
"…Okay," he whispered. "That's weird."
The feeling faded quickly.
[TP -20]
[CONTROL IMPROVED]
Michael flexed his hand again.
This time—
When he applied pressure—
A spark appeared instantly.
Cleaner.
Sharper.
It didn't flicker randomly.
It stayed.
Michael's eyes narrowed.
"…That's better."
He released the tension.
The spark vanished immediately.
No delay.
No after-effect.
"…Good," he said. "That's controllable."
He turned his attention back to the system.
[TP: 30]
"…Alright," he muttered. "Now power."
He selected:
Increase Template %
The system paused for a second.
Then responded.
[WARNING]
Physical strain expected
CONFIRM?
Michael smirked slightly.
"Yeah," he said. "I figured."
He confirmed.
The effect hit instantly.
A sharp pressure ran through his body.
Like something inside him expanded too fast.
He clenched his jaw.
Didn't move.
Didn't react.
"…Not… that bad," he forced out.
The pressure faded.
[TEMPLATE PROGRESS INCREASED]
No number shown.
But he felt it.
Not stronger.
Just… more responsive.
He raised his hand again.
Focused.
A spark formed immediately.
Larger this time.
Still small—
But stable.
He held it.
One second.
Two.
No loss of control.
Michael smiled slightly.
"…Yeah," he said. "That's progress."
He let it fade.
The system dimmed again.
Quiet.
Waiting.
Michael looked around the gym.
Same place.
Same life.
But now—
He had a method.
Not power.
Not yet.
But a path.
He grabbed the mop again and started cleaning.
Same as always.
Because tomorrow—
He'd still be the guy no one noticed.
And that was exactly how he needed it.