The man jumped down from the edge of the ruins.
Dust scattered as his boots hit the ground. He rolled his shoulders once, cracked his neck, and looked at Leon with open disdain.
"You should've stayed unconscious," he said. "At least that way, you wouldn't feel what comes next."
Leon recognized him.
Marcus Vale.
A second-year student. Bronze-ranked. Someone who had passed his Awakening Trial with a mid-grade strength affinity. Not a genius—but far from weak.
Normally, Leon wouldn't stand a chance.
Normally.
Leon slowly got to his feet. His legs felt steady. Too steady.
"That explosion should've killed you," Marcus continued, drawing his blade. "Guess luck favors trash sometimes."
Leon didn't respond.
He was listening.
Not to Marcus—but to the subtle sensations inside his body. His heartbeat was calm. His breathing controlled. Every movement felt… efficient.
[Combat situation detected.][Threat Level: Moderate.][Growth conditions active.]
Leon's eyes narrowed.
So the system wasn't just passive.
"Interesting…"
Marcus frowned. "What are you mumbling about?"
Leon raised his head and met Marcus's gaze.
"Come," he said simply.
Marcus laughed. "You're asking for it."
He lunged.
The distance between them closed in an instant. Marcus's blade flashed toward Leon's shoulder, fast and precise—clearly practiced.
Leon reacted on instinct.
He stepped back.
Not quickly.Not clumsily.
Perfectly.
The blade cut through air.
Leon's eyes widened a fraction.
I dodged that.
He hadn't trained footwork. Not properly. His body just… moved.
[Evasion successful.][Agility +0.3]
Leon barely had time to process the message before Marcus attacked again.
Slash.Thrust.Horizontal cut.
Each strike was sharper than the last.
Leon retreated, his heart pounding—not from fear, but exhilaration. Every near miss sent a surge through his body. Muscles tightened. Vision sharpened. His awareness expanded.
[Sustained combat detected.][Adaptive Growth accelerating…]
Marcus's expression darkened.
"Stop running!"
Leon's foot caught on rubble.
Too slow.
Marcus seized the opening.
The blade sliced across Leon's arm.
Pain exploded.
Blood spilled.
Leon hissed—but didn't scream.
Instead, warmth followed immediately.
[Damage received.][Triggering Pain-Driven Growth.][Endurance +0.5][Muscle Density +0.2]
Leon's eyes lit up.
So pain really does accelerate growth.
Marcus froze for half a second, confusion flashing across his face.
"You're smiling?"
Leon straightened.
The cut was still there—but the pain had dulled. His grip tightened. His stance felt firmer.
He stepped forward.
Marcus sneered. "Finally decided to die properly?"
Leon moved.
This time, he didn't dodge.
He slipped inside Marcus's range, feeling the wind of the blade pass just inches from his face. His fist came up instinctively—raw, untrained, but heavy.
It landed.
Marcus staggered back, shock written all over his face.
"What the—?!"
Leon stared at his hand.
He had never hit someone that hard.
[Successful Counterattack.][Strength +0.4][Combat Instinct +0.2]
Leon exhaled slowly.
"So this is how it works…"
Every action fed growth.Every mistake sharpened him.Every injury pushed him forward.
Marcus recovered, fury replacing confusion.
"Enough tricks!"
A faint bronze glow covered Marcus's body—his awakened affinity activating. His speed increased. His presence grew heavier.
Leon felt the pressure instantly.
[Opponent has activated Awakening Ability.][Threat Level Updated: High.]
For the first time, Leon felt danger.
Real danger.
His instincts screamed.
Run.
Fight.
Adapt.
Leon chose the third.
Marcus charged again, faster than before. Leon raised his arms to block.
The impact sent him flying backward.
Pain exploded through his back as he slammed into a pillar.
[Heavy damage sustained.][Adaptive Growth: Major Trigger.]
Leon groaned—and then laughed.
Power surged through his limbs.
Bones reinforced. Muscles tightened. His breathing stabilized in seconds.
Leon pushed himself up.
Marcus's eyes widened.
"You should be broken!"
Leon rolled his shoulders.
"I was," he said calmly. "Not anymore."
He stepped forward.
This time, Marcus stepped back.
Leon felt it—the shift. The moment the balance tilted.
Not because he was stronger.
But because he was growing.
Endlessly.
Relentlessly.
And this fight?
It was just the beginning.