Chapter 3
Kai's hand remained raised.
The pressure in the clearing thickened, bending the grass beneath their feet.
Vee scratched the back of his head.
"...You know, most people shake hands before trying to beat each other up."
Kai shrugged.
"I considered it."
"And?"
"You looked like you'd make it awkward."
Vee stared.
"...Okay, that was actually a decent comeback."
For the first time...
Kai smiled.
It wasn't warm.
It wasn't friendly.
Just the confident grin of someone who enjoyed testing people.
"I've heard about you."
Vee frowned.
"...Impossible."
"Exactly."
Kai folded his arms.
"Nobody is supposed to survive the Death Forest on their first day."
"I didn't."
Kai blinked.
"What?"
"I survived on my... fourth attempt."
Silence.
Kai narrowed his eyes.
"...Explain."
"I died."
"..."
"Came back."
"..."
"Died again."
Kai looked at him for several seconds before rubbing his forehead.
"I've met liars before."
"I'm not lying."
"I know."
"...That concerns me."
Vee pointed at him.
"See? Finally someone understands."
Kai laughed.
Actually laughed.
A short one.
"You are either insane..."
He looked Vee up and down.
"...or the luckiest fool I've ever met."
"I've been called worse."
"I can imagine."
Kai stepped forward.
"You know..."
He circled Vee once, studying him like a collector inspecting an old relic.
"...You're much smaller than I expected."
Vee looked offended.
"Excuse me? Attack my combat ability, not my height."
"I wasn't talking about your height."
"...That somehow hurts more."
Kai chuckled again.
"You don't have mana worthy of mention."
"Nope."
"Your stance is terrible."
"I know."
"You breathe too loudly."
"I get nervous."
"You joke during life-threatening situations."
"It's my coping mechanism."
Kai nodded thoughtfully.
"...Understandable."
Vee froze.
"...You're supposed to insult me."
"I changed my mind."
"Oh."
Kai stopped directly in front of him.
"But..."
His grin widened.
"I still want to punch you."
"There it is."
"I was worried you thought this was a therapy session."
Vee sighed.
"No refunds in this world..."
Kai stretched his shoulders, the joints cracking softly.
"You know what I like about you?"
Vee looked suspicious.
"That sounds dangerous."
"You don't seem afraid of me."
"I have literally died four times today."
"...Fair."
"You'd be surprised how much that changes your priorities."
Kai laughed louder this time.
"I like you."
Vee smiled.
"Aww—"
"But I'm still going to beat you."
"...There it is again."
Kai pointed toward the center of the clearing.
"No abilities."
"No weapons."
"No killing."
Vee blinked.
"...That last rule sounds oddly specific."
Kai shrugged with a mischievous smile.
"I've sparred with people who needed reminding."
"Should I be worried?"
"Probably."
Vee sighed dramatically.
"Fantastic."
He walked toward the center of the clearing.
"Today's schedule: die, resurrect, get adopted by a mad scientist, then punched by rich forest Batman."
Kai burst into another laugh.
"Rich forest Batman?"
"You heard me."
"I don't even know what that means."
"You don't need to."
Kai rolled his neck before lowering into a fighting stance.
His playful smile disappeared.
In its place was absolute focus.
The shift was so sudden that the entire atmosphere changed.
Leaves stopped rustling.
The wind fell silent.
Vee felt goosebumps crawl across his skin.
"...Okay."
He swallowed.
"Now that's terrifying."
Kai smirked.
"Ready?"
Vee took a deep breath and raised his fists.
"No."
"...Good."
Kai vanished.
BOOM!
The ground exploded where he had been standing.
Vee's eyes widened.
"...WHY ARE YOU SO FAST?!"
Chapter 4: Breakthrough
Kai disappeared.
BOOM!
Vee barely had time to raise his arms.
A fist slammed into his guard.
The impact launched him backward like a rag doll.
CRASH!
He smashed through a young tree before rolling across the ground.
"...Ow."
Kai casually walked toward him, dusting off his sleeve.
"I barely used any strength."
Vee groaned as he stood.
"...You know, saying that out loud is considered bullying."
Kai grinned.
"I'm aware."
He vanished again.
A kick came from Vee's blind spot.
BANG!
Vee blocked...
Too late.
The force sent him spinning across the clearing.
Kai didn't chase immediately.
He simply watched.
"Your instincts are excellent."
Vee spat out a mouthful of blood.
"But?"
Kai smiled.
"Your body can't keep up."
"...Yeah."
Vee stretched his aching shoulder.
"I noticed."
Kai tilted his head.
"You know what your biggest weakness is?"
"My personality?"
"No."
"My face?"
"No."
"My incredible luck?"
Kai sighed.
"You waste movement."
His body blurred.
Another punch.
Another kick.
Another elbow.
Vee couldn't even see the attacks anymore.
Each hit landed before he could react.
Minutes passed.
Bruises covered his body.
His breathing became ragged.
His vision blurred.
Kai finally stopped.
"I think we're done."
Vee forced himself upright.
"...Done?"
"You've reached your limit."
Vee laughed weakly.
"...That's rude."
"You'll die if we continue."
Vee looked at his trembling hands.
"...I've heard that before."
Kai frowned.
"What?"
Nothing.
Just memories.
Dying to the Nightmaw.
Failing.
Standing up again.
Ashbourne's words echoed in his mind.
"You're adapting faster than anything I've ever seen."
The System suddenly appeared before his eyes.
«Combat Analysis Complete...»
«Continuous life-and-death combat detected.»
«Body Synchronization: 93%...95%...98%...»
Kai's eyes narrowed.
"...What's wrong?"
Vee wasn't listening.
His heartbeat grew louder.
Every wound.
Every death.
Every mistake...
His body remembered them all.
The pressure around him began to change.
Leaves rose from the ground.
The wind circled him.
Kai's playful smile slowly disappeared.
"...Interesting."
The System flashed again.
«Requirement fulfilled.»
«Breaking physical limiter...»
«Rank Advancement Initiated.»
Vee suddenly felt as though every muscle in his body had caught fire.
He screamed.
Not in pain...
But in release.
The bottleneck that had restrained him shattered.
BOOM!!
A wave of energy burst outward.
The nearby trees bent violently.
Dust exploded into the air.
Kai planted his feet to avoid being pushed back.
"...He ranked up?"
His eyes widened for the first time.
The pressure pouring from Vee climbed higher...
And higher...
Until—
Everything became still.
Vee slowly opened his eyes.
They were clearer.
Sharper.
He clenched his fist.
Strength flooded through every part of his body.
The System spoke one final time.
«Congratulations.»
«Rank Increased.»
«Current Rank: D+»
A grin spread across Vee's face.
"...Oh."
He looked at his own hands.
"So this..."
He squeezed his fist.
"...is what being alive is supposed to feel like."
Kai laughed.
Not mockingly.
Genuinely.
His excitement was obvious.
"So that's why she was interested."
He rolled his shoulders.
"Now..."
A grin spread across his face.
"Now this is a fight."
Vee smiled back.
"Careful."
Kai raised an eyebrow.
"I've only been getting beaten up because I was being polite."
Kai burst into laughter.
"Confident already?"
"No."
Vee lowered himself into a fighting stance.
"I'm just finally fast enough..."
"...to hit you."
For the first time since they met—
Kai felt excitement.
Not because he was facing another strong opponent.
But because, standing before him...
Was someone who had grown an entire rank during a single spar.
Someone impossible.
Someone who might one day surpass everyone.
Kai's grin widened.
"Come on then, Vee."
"Show me why the forest refused to kill you."
The earth cracked beneath both of them—
And they vanished at the same time.