The infirmary was dimly lit, its sterile walls offering little comfort to the battered and bruised Kane. The faint beeping of a heart monitor filled the silence, punctuated by his labored breaths. Every inch of his body ached; moving even slightly sent sharp, stinging reminders of the beating he'd just taken.
Despite the pain, Kane's mind was elsewhere—replaying the fight, her moves, her speed, and that moment when Aliya's aura had shifted. It wasn't just strength she'd used; it was something… unnatural.
The door creaked open, and Kane braced himself, expecting Leo or Liam. But the voice that broke the silence was colder, sharper.
"You're awake," Master Hirata said, stepping inside.
Kane turned his head, wincing as his neck protested. "Barely," he croaked.
Hirata crossed his arms, his presence filling the room like a storm cloud. "You've had better days, I assume."
"Yeah, you could say that," Kane muttered.
There was a heavy pause before Hirata spoke again. "Do you understand why I didn't stop the fight?"
Kane's brow furrowed, his thoughts sluggish. "Not really," he admitted.
Hirata stepped closer, his gaze piercing. "Because rules don't matter in a real fight. Outside this ring, no one will care about fairness or honor. They'll use everything they have to destroy you. Today was a lesson in survival, Kane. A painful one, but necessary."
Kane swallowed hard, his throat dry. "You let her use her ability. She broke the rules, and you just… watched."
Hirata's expression didn't change. "Yes. Because you needed to see what it feels like to face an opponent who isn't playing by the rules. Do you think Aliya cared about honor when she struck you down? Do you think your enemies will?"
"No," Kane admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Hirata's gaze hardened. "Exactly. You adapted, Kane. You showed resilience. But you're far from ready."
The words stung more than Kane cared to admit. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. "So, what now?"
Hirata's lips curled into the faintest of smiles. "Now, you learn to control it."
Kane froze, his blood running cold. "Control… what?"
Hirata's eyes bore into him, unyielding. "That thing inside you. The force that took over in the ring. I saw it, Kane. You think no one noticed, but I did. The way your stance shifted, the precision of your movements—it wasn't natural. It was as if you were being guided by something… external."
Kane's heart pounded in his chest, a cold sweat breaking out across his forehead. "I… don't know what you're talking about," he stammered.
Hirata tilted his head slightly, studying him. "You don't need to hide it from me. I've seen this before."
Kane's breath caught in his throat. "You have?"
"Yes," Hirata said, his voice dropping. "Long ago. And I'll tell you the same thing I told the last person: if you don't learn to master it, it will destroy you."
For a moment, Kane's world narrowed, the implications of Hirata's words sinking in like a blade. Could Hirata know about the system? Was he speaking in riddles, testing him?
But then Hirata's expression softened, and he sighed. "I'm talking about your fear, Kane. Your anger. Your desperation. They're powerful forces, but they'll consume you if you're not careful."
Kane blinked, realization dawning on him. Hirata wasn't talking about the system at all. Relief mixed with frustration surged through him.
"I'll keep that in mind," Kane said, forcing his voice to stay steady.
"See that you do," Hirata replied, turning toward the door. "Rest for now. But when you're ready, come find me. There's more for you to learn."
Kane watched him leave, the weight of the conversation settling over him like a shroud. Hirata didn't know about the system. He was safe—at least for now. But the fight with Aliya had changed everything.
---
Back in the Hall, people were running crazy with all sorts of arguments.
The atmosphere was stark as the crowd began to disperse, their voices overlapping in heated conversations.
"Did you see that fight?"
"Hard to miss. That Aliya… she's a monster."
"No kidding. She wasn't even trying at first. Then bam—she's all over him."
"Yeah, but did you see Kane? He was smiling through it all. Creepy."
"Smiling? More like insane. Who grins like that after getting hit?"
"Maybe he's just a masochist. Or suicidal."
"I don't think so. There was something… off about him. Like he wasn't himself."
"Off? Please. He's just a Grade E trying to punch above his weight. Got what he deserved if you ask me."
"But he held his own for a while, didn't he? For a Grade E, that's impressive."
"Impressive? Aliya toyed with him. The moment she got serious, it was over."
"Still, Hirata let it happen. Why didn't he stop the fight when she used her ability?"
"Because it's Hirata. He doesn't care about the rules. He cares about results."
"Maybe. But there's something weird about Kane. You'll see."
---
The use of abilities and the great leap in the advancements of technology had made it so that, even losing an arm was a petty issue.
The reason why Kane was still in the infirmary was quite simple… the nurses say that he had to regain his lost stamina.
And that was true, they could heal physically injuries and that was all, all the exhaustion still remained.
Kane sat alone in his bed, the lights dimmed. The fight replayed in his mind, every strike, every dodge, every moment where he felt the system take over. He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
Recalling it made him a bit afraid, that slight moment when the system had taken over, he felt a shift in his countenance.
He felt a shift in his feelings, the bloodlust he felt made him afraid of himself, at that point all he really wanted to do was… kill.
'Is it the system that's doing this to me?, the bloodlust I felt wasn't mine, it was like the system was pouring out it's anger and frustrations through me.
Just the thought of it sent chills down his spine, he imagined himself losing control and trying to kill his friends.
If the system only directed that amount of killing intent to his enemies, then he was okay with it. But then… the possibilities still remained.
After some time, the system's notification echoed faintly in his thoughts.
[Objective Passed: New skill acquired.]
But what skill? And why did the system think he'd won when Hirata had declared Aliya the victor?
The only theory kane could come of with was that the system abided by Hirata's rules and since it assumed that Aliya had used her ability, it declared him eligible for the reward.
But the question was, what new skill did he get?, thinking about this lightened his mood instantly…
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"It's open," Kane called, expecting Leo or Liam.
Instead, Alex stepped inside, his expression curious. "You alive, champ?"
"Barely," Kane muttered, leaning back in his chair. "What do you want?"
Alex shrugged, leaning against the wall. "Just came to see how you're holding up. That fight was… something else."
Kane frowned. "Yeah, well, it's over now."
"Is it?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. "People are still talking about it. You've got their attention, Kane—whether you want it or not."
"Great," Kane said flatly. "Just what I needed."
Alex smirked. "Hey, attention's not all bad. You've got potential, even if you're a little unhinged."
Kane shot him a glare. "Thanks for the pep talk."
"Anytime," Alex said, pushing off the wall. "Rest up. Something tells me this is just the beginning."
As Alex left, Kane leaned forward, his head in his hands. He couldn't shake the feeling that Alex was right.
The system had brought him this far, but at what cost? And as he replayed Hirata's words in his mind, a chilling thought settled over him.
What if Hirata had noticed something? And was actually just playing dumb with him?
And most of all, what if he wasn't the only one?
What if he wasn't the only one with the system?