For three straight weeks, the yard behind Ueki's house became Kael's training ground.
Dust churned beneath bare feet. Sweat soaked into the earth. Each strike carved intent into the morning air.
"Move your body, Ueki!" Kael shouted.
Ueki charged again, fist flying forward with raw determination.
Kael shifted effortlessly, two fingers guiding the punch aside, correcting his stance mid-motion.
"Again."
Ueki growled and surged forward, stubborn fire burning behind his eyes.
Kael taught him more than punches.
He shaped timing. Distance. Awareness. Instinct.
This world…
If he had to judge it, it was still bound to human limits. A realm where power existed, but the laws were grounded. Structured. Heavy with consequence.
And as Ueki caught his breath, Kael's thoughts drifted.
Back when he was still just a man with a normal life, he had consumed every story he could find. Anime. Manga. Manhwa. Films. Endless worlds stacked upon one another.
And like every fan, there was always one argument.
Who was the strongest?
Goku — a being who shattered dimensions through sheer will and power.
Light Yagami — Kira, who could erase life with nothing but a name and a pen.
Or something even more absurd… like a universe-throwing entity from Gurren Lagann.
Kael found himself snorting softly.
Pointless.
Different worlds. Different rules. Different logic.
Comparing them was stupidity — like forcing lightning to wrestle ocean currents.
Power could not be measured across realities.
Each world created its own meaning of strength.
Kael's gaze sharpened.
What truly mattered wasn't who stood at the top of fantasy debates…
But understanding the structure of the world beneath his feet.
Every universe had a ceiling.
Every reality had invisible chains.
And his goal was not to brag about legends —
It was to break through those chains, wherever he stood.
Ueki lunged again.
Kael blocked it without even looking.
"Again," he said calmly. "Feel the ground. Let the world speak to your body. Then move."
Ueki nodded, chest rising and falling with heavy breaths.
Under a quiet sky, between sweat and grit, Kael continued shaping not just a fighter — but a survivor in a world far larger than it realized.
Yet even as he trained, his mind wandered.
Every world follows its own laws.
Its own understanding of power.
Back when he still lived in his original reality, Kael had been obsessed with categorizing fictional universes. Not just as a fan — but as someone trying to understand how power truly worked across realities.
He had even created his own scale.
Dragon Ball?
Multiverse Level.
A realm where a single technique could erase planets and crack dimensions like glass.
Naruto?
Not truly divine. Rikudo Sennin wasn't a god in Kael's eyes — and Kaguya was merely an alien being from another universe. Still, since they touched forces beyond mortality, he placed it in what he called the God Level.
My Hero Academia?
Contained. Planetary. Humanity amplified by extraordinary abilities.
A clear Superpower Level.
And Law of Ueki…
A world where gods existed, but the battlefield itself revolved around human struggle, creativity, and tactics.
So Kael classified it simply as:
Human Level.
Each level, of course, held sub-ranks — from 1 to 9 — like invisible ladders of dominance.
And whenever strangers argued online over who would win between Goku and Light Yagami, Kael would open his meticulously saved notes…
And become a full-fledged keyboard warrior.
Absolute chaos.
Pang!
His vision jolted.
Pain bloomed across his cheek.
"I got the hit!" Ueki shouted, eyes shining with pride.
Kael blinked, then exhaled in mild embarrassment.
"…You did."
He rolled his jaw once, rubbing the faint sting on his cheek, watching Ueki beam with the pride of someone who'd just struck down a legend.
Maybe… this world really was teaching him something after all.
And for once, Kael allowed himself a small smile.
"Again," he said. "But next time, aim for the chin."
They resumed.
Footsteps scuffed against dirt. Breath tore through lungs. Muscles burned. And yet, even as his body returned to instinctual motion, Kael's mind refused to rest.
Rank.
Resonance.
The words echoed faintly, like distant bells.
His status wasn't just a number — it was a position. A limit. A shackle disguised as progress. And resonance… that strange term pulsing beneath everything he touched.
First Core Awakening.
Second Core Awakening.
He could feel it now. The connection. Not just to this world — but to its rules. Its ceiling. Its invisible chains.
His Bone Manipulation no longer flowed as freely as before. Certain techniques felt muted. Constricted. As if the world itself was pressing a palm against his throat, whispering:
Not yet.
"So that's it…" Kael thought grimly.
"This world won't let me surpass its level until I earn it."
Resonance wasn't just power.
It was permission.
Permission to exist.
To evolve.
To break higher laws.
And right now — he was only touching the surface.
A punch grazed his ribs.
He pivoted smoothly, blocking the follow-up, eyes sharp again.
Focus returned.
Answers could wait. Strength could not.
If the world wanted to test him…
Then he would rise until even its laws had no choice but to bend.
"Good," Kael said, stepping back into stance. "Again, Ueki. Don't hesitate. In a real fight, hesitation is death."
Ueki nodded hard.
And beneath the pale sky, between sweat, breath, and raw willpower — Kael trained not just to survive this world…
…but to earn the right to defy it.
…
Time passed once more.
Days turned into routine. Routine into rhythm.
Kael and Ueki grew closer with each session — not just as fighters, but as people. And it wasn't only Ueki. Ai's sharp watchfulness softened. Tenko's quiet distance slowly eroded into something resembling trust.
They were becoming a team.
Today's training ended with a sharp breath and a proud grin.
"I did it!" Ueki announced, chest heaving. "Eight-star power level!"
Tenko blinked. "Again?"
"Yes! Eight stars, for real this time!"
He opened his mouth too wide in excitement — and the glowing star-chip slipped right out.
"Ah—!"
Tenko caught it instantly, reflex sharp as ever.
"…Careless," he muttered.
Kael watched from outside the ring, arms folded, amused.
"You're not coming in, Kael?" Ueki called.
"It's fine," Kael replied calmly. "I think I already unlocked up to nine."
The air shifted.
Tenko glanced at him sharply. Ai narrowed her eyes.
Nine stars?
That wasn't something someone said casually.
Kael could feel it too — a faint pressure, like an invisible gauge hovering just shy of completion. Not ten. Not yet. Always stopping just before the ceiling.
Restriction. Again.
Ai walked over, placing a bag on the ground.
"I made food," she announced.
Silence followed.
Then visible dread.
Kael remembered. So did everyone else.
Her cooking… was an act of courage to survive.
But still — they sat. Together.
Ueki first. Tenko reluctantly. Kael last.
They ate.
The taste was horrifying.
The atmosphere, strangely warm.
Between coughs and forced smiles, Kael realized something unexpected.
This wasn't just preparation for a tournament.
This was what normal felt like.
Laughter. Shared struggle. Quiet moments between chaos.
A fragile peace before the storm.
He looked at them — this strange, mismatched group — and for the first time since crossing worlds…
He didn't feel like an intruder.
He felt… chosen.
And somewhere deep inside, beneath rank, resonance, and systems…
Kael knew.
When the second round began —
They wouldn't just be fighting for power.
They'd be fighting for each other.