Kael walked through the city as evening settled, the sky stained orange and violet. After everything that had happened—the trades, the fights, Cassandra Cain's quiet scrutiny—he wanted a moment of calm. But the system didn't care about what he wanted. Only what he needed.
And based on how Trade Instinct kept nudging him—somewhere ahead of him, someone desperately needed help.
He followed the sensation down several blocks, past a shuttered laundromat and a row of small restaurants preparing to close. The air smelled faintly of garlic and rain. His instincts sharpened as he turned a corner into a quiet residential block.
That's when he heard the shouting.
A man's voice—angry, slurred, unsteady.
A woman's voice—trying to stay calm, failing.
A child crying somewhere nearby.
Kael stopped.
Trade Instinct pulsed hard enough that his whole body felt it.
He stepped closer until he saw the scene unfold in the open doorway of a beaten-up two-story building.
A man, reeking of alcohol even from meters away, towered over a young woman in her twenties. She held a toddler pressed against her hip, shielding him from the man's wild gestures. Her face was pale with fear.
"You think you can walk out?!" the man shouted. "After everything I've done for this family?"
"You haven't done anything," the woman said, voice trembling. "Not for months. Please—just go home. We'll talk when you're sober."
"I'm not leaving without my son!"
The man lunged forward.
Kael moved without thinking.
"Stop," he said sharply.
Both adults turned. The man's bloodshot eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Who the hell are you?" the man growled.
"A passerby," Kael said calmly. "One who can see you're scaring your kid."
The toddler whimpered and buried his face in his mother's shoulder.
The man took a threatening step toward Kael. "Mind your business before I make you."
Kael didn't flinch.
"You need to calm down," Kael said. "You're not thinking clearly."
"Shut up!" the man snapped. "I'm taking my son."
The woman backed away, terrified.
The man charged.
Kael met him halfway, instincts kicking in. Street Blade Basics guided his steps automatically. Kael slipped past the first wild swing, pivoted, and redirected the man's momentum into the wall beside the door. The man grunted as he hit the brick but immediately swung again.
Kael ducked, countering with a push to the chest—firm enough to make the man stumble back but not enough to injure him.
"Don't do this," Kael said. "You're angry, not evil."
The man spat. "I'll kill you!"
He grabbed a metal trash can lid nearby and swung it like a shield toward Kael's head.
Kael leaned back just in time, the lid scraping air inches from his face. His ribs screamed at the movement, still sore from previous fights, but Energy Regulation smoothed the pain into something manageable.
Situational Awareness locked onto the angles.
Pattern Recognition found the gaps.
Kael stepped inside the man's guard and struck his wrist—hard.
The lid clattered to the ground.
The man roared and grabbed Kael by the shirt, trying to smash him into the sidewalk.
Kael twisted, dragging his elbow into the man's forearm. The grip loosened enough for him to slip free.
But the man wasn't done.
He tackled Kael to the ground.
Kael's head hit the pavement, stars flashing across his vision.
The man grabbed him by the throat.
Kael's vision began to blur at the edges as pressure built.
Energy Regulation forced a steady inhale.
Situational Awareness pointed toward the leverage point.
Pattern Recognition showed the weakness.
Kael's hand shot up, fingers jabbing between the man's ribs—an instinctive, pain-disrupting strike. The man gasped, grip loosening.
Kael rolled them both, ending up on top before pushing himself free and scrambling to his feet.
The man staggered upright but swayed—his drunken movements clumsy.
Kael kept his distance.
"Stop," Kael said, breath steady. "Look at your son."
The toddler was crying uncontrollably now, clutching his mother's sweater.
The man froze.
He blinked, the anger deflating into something hollow and broken. His shoulders sagged. His breath shuddered.
"What am I doing?" he whispered, voice cracking. "I… I didn't want this. I just…"
He sank to his knees, covering his face. "I'm screwing everything up."
The woman held her son tighter, but her eyes were soft with sadness rather than fear now.
Kael took a slow step closer.
"You're overwhelmed," he said gently. "That doesn't excuse what you did. But it explains why you lost control."
The man looked up, tears streaking his cheeks. "I don't want to lose them."
"Then don't," Kael said. "Start by standing up. And apologizing."
The man swallowed and did exactly that.
"Emma… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Emma hesitated, then nodded. "Go home. Sleep. We'll talk tomorrow. But not like this."
The man nodded miserably and stumbled away, disappearing down the street.
Emma exhaled shakily. "Thank you. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't—"
Kael raised a hand gently. "I'm glad you're both safe."
The toddler peeked at Kael from his mother's shoulder. His small voice trembled. "T-thank you."
Kael's chest tightened.
Trade Instinct pulsed.
The system opened a window.
Trade Ready
Target Emotion: Family fear, relief, restored hope
Potential Reward: High-tier emotional or defensive skill
Kael accepted.
Offering: Intervention, de-escalation, emotional support
Receiving Options:
– Emotional Shielding (Basic)
– Resilience (Intermediate)
– Compassion Insight (Basic)
– Anchoring Will (Intermediate)
Kael examined them carefully.
Emotional Shielding could hide emotional spikes—good for stealth.
Compassion Insight improved empathy—dangerous near telepaths.
Anchoring Will increased resistance to fear and panic.
Resilience improved mental and emotional durability.
He needed something to help him withstand future pressure.
He chose Resilience.
Trade Complete
Skill Gained: Resilience (Intermediate)
EXP +50
A heavy warmth settled into his mind and chest. A quiet strength. A stabilizing force. Like emotional armor.
Kael exhaled slowly.
Emma wiped her eyes again. "I owe you—"
"You owe me nothing," Kael said.
She nodded, holding her son close as she returned inside.
Kael walked toward the end of the block.
His breath fogged in the cool air.
His muscles shook slightly from the fight.
But inside, every part of him felt… steady.
The system flickered.
Combat Survival Bonus: +20 EXP
Skill Integration Bonus (Multiple Skills Used): +15 EXP
Total EXP gained:
Trade: +50
Combat: +20
Skill integration: +15
Total: +85 EXP
Starting EXP: 100
Now: 185 / 200 EXP
Only 15 more until Level 3.
Kael took two steps toward home—
A figure dropped from above, landing silently.
Cassandra Cain.
Kael didn't startle. He had half expected it.
She stepped closer, studying him with calm, piercing eyes.
"You fought again," she said.
Kael shrugged. "Had to."
"You're learning too fast," Cassandra murmured.
Kael didn't answer.
She stepped closer, invading his personal space with no malice—just curiosity.
"Your movements changed again," she said. "Cleaner. Stronger inside. Like you found… balance."
Resilience settling.
"Maybe," Kael said.
Cassandra tilted her head. "You help people. Even when it hurts you."
Kael looked away. "Someone has to."
She nodded once. "I will watch. But now… I will also trust."
It wasn't approval.
It wasn't friendship.
But it was something important.
Cassandra turned and leapt onto the fire escape, disappearing into the shadows.
Kael felt the fatigue settle into his bones.
He took two more steps toward home—
The system pulsed like a heartbeat.
Level Up Ready
EXP: 185 + 15 (post-event emotional stabilization) = 200 / 200
Kael inhaled sharply as warmth spread through his entire body.
Level Up
Level: 2 → 3
Physical Stats Increased:
Strength +2
Speed +2
Endurance +2
Agility +2
Durability +2
Stamina +3
Regeneration +1
Mental Stats Increased:
Perception +2
Instinct +2
Willpower +2
Energy Stats Increased:
Energy Capacity +15
Energy Recovery +4
New Passive Unlocked:
Adaptive Flow (Minor)
Your body subtly adjusts movements based on recent learning, increasing efficiency and improving integration of new skills.
Kael exhaled, feeling everything settle into place.
He was stronger.
More aware.
More steady.
And the world was noticing.
He wasn't sure if that was good or bad.
But he was ready for what came next.
---
KAEL STATUS – END OF CHAPTER 8
Level: 3
EXP: 0 / 300
Physical Stats
Strength: 9
Speed: 10
Endurance: 9
Agility: 9
Durability: 8
Stamina: 13
Regeneration: 3
Mental Stats
Intelligence: 25
Memory: 30
Perception: 19
Willpower: 22
Instinct: 16
Multiversal Awareness: 5
Energy Stats
Energy Capacity: 35
Energy Recovery: 9
Energy Type: None
Energy Compatibility: High
Energy Control: Basic
New Skills
• Resilience (Intermediate)
– Strengthens emotional stability
– Harder to overwhelm mentally
– Helps maintain clarity in fear, grief, anger, or panic
New Passive
• Adaptive Flow (Minor)
– Subtle efficiency boost to all physical skill integration
– Improves learning and reaction time