Knox stood in the middle of an empty field, stretching out his arms and rolling his shoulder. He'd taken a moment to appreciate the power coursing through his veins, but Kaelina's voice snapped him out of it.
"Knox, I'm locking all your Krytonian powers and disabling the suit for now," she said with a matter-of-fact tone.
"What?!" Knox balked, looking down at his hands. He already felt the subtle hum of power leaving him, replaced by the all-too-familiar weakness of being an ordinary human. "Why the hell would you do that?"
"Simple," Kaelina replied coolly. "You're soft. All that power, but no experience. No battle instincts. If you rely on your powers without learning how to fight properly, the first person who counters your Kryptonian abilities will kill you."
Knox scowled. "You really know how to build a guy up."
"Think of it as tough love," Kaelina said. "If things get too dangerous, I'll give you your powers back. But for now, you're going to learn the hard way."
Knox didn't bother arguing further. He walked into the bustling streets of the city, his sharp eyes scanning for potential opponents. He soon spotted a tall, broad-shouldered man leaning against a brick wall, looking every bit the thug he was. The man's glowing hands gave away his superhuman abilities.
"Perfect," Knox muttered under his breath before walking up. "Hey, big guy. You look like you're trying to compensate fir something."
The man straightened, his eyes narrowing as he cracked his knuckles. "You've got a big mouth, kid. Name's Rex. I'm part of the Steel Fang Syndicate. Mess with me, and you're messing with them."
Knox smirked, crossing his arms. "Steel Fang? Sounds like a third-rate gang for wannabe tough guys."
Rex's face darkened, and without another word, he lunged at Knox.
Knox reacted on instinct, throwing a right hook aimed for Rex's jaw. Rex dodged effortlessly, his movements faster than Knox expected, and continued with a gut punch that knocked the wind out of him. Knox staggered back, clutching his stomach as he gasped for air.
"Damn," Knox muttered, his vision swimming slightly.
Kaelina chimed in. "This is why I'm doing this. You need to toughen up. Stop thinking you're invincible and start thinking like a fighter."
Rex didn't give Knox time to recover. He closed the distance, throwing a flurry of punches. Knox managed to dodge some of them, but a few landed, one striking his ribs and another grazing his cheek. Gritting his teeth, Knox retaliated with a kick to Rex's shin, followed by another to his chin.
Rex stumbled back but recovered quickly. "You're dead, kid!"
Knox mimicked the moves he'd seen from a boxing match, shifting his stance and throwing a quick right hook followed by a jab to Rex's gut. But Rex blocked both strikes and retaliated with a brutal headbutt. Pain exploded in Knox's nose as blood streamed down his face.
"Kaelina," Knox groaned, his voice strained, "maybe unlock a little of my power?"
"Nope," she replied cheerfully. "You're doing fine. Remember, this is about building durability and instincts."
Knox wiped the blood from his nose, his irritation fueling him. "Fine. I'll handle it myself."
He ducked under Rex's next punch, stepping in close and delivering a devastating liver punch. Rex gasped, his body doubling over. Knox didn't waste the opening-he followed up with an uppercut to the chain and a knee to the gut. Rex collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain.
But Knox wasn't finished. The rage and frustration that had built up during the fight boiled over. He kicked Rex repeatedly, each blow fueled by his anger. When Rex stopped moving, Knox grabbed a nearby brick.
With a grim smile, he brought the brick down on Rex's head. Blood splattered across the ground as the sickening crack of bone filled the air. He stuck again and again until Rex's head was unrecognizable.
Kaelina sighed. "Well, congrats. You won. And I have to say, that was... excessive. But at least you're learning."
"Alright," Kaelina said after a moment. "Time for the real work. You're going to start an extreme training regimen: 10,000 push-ups, 10,000 sit-ups, 10,000 squats, and a 1,000-kilometer run."
Knox started at the bloodied mess he'd felt on the ground, then turned his attention inward. "You're insane. Give me a break first."
"No breaks," Kaelina replied, her tone unyielding. "You need to push through. The faster you do this, the faster I'll unlock your powers again."
Knox sighed heavily. "Fine." He walked into an abandoned building nearby, the sounds of the city fading as he stepped inside.
"Can I at least get my powers back to make this easier?" he asked
Kaelina's laughter echoed in his mind. "Absolutely not. You're doing this the hard way."
Knox dropped to the floor and began the push-ups. The first hundred felt easy enough, but by the time he reached the thousand mark, his arms were screaming in protest. Days passed as he worked tirelessly, pushing his body to the limit. Sweat poured from him, and every muscle ached, but he refused to give up.
Five Days Later
Knox collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving as he completed the last kilometer of his run. Every part of his body felt like it had been put through a meat grinder, but he had done it.
"Alright, Kaelina," he groaned, barely able to lift his head. "I'm done. Can I have my powers back now?"
Kaelina tone was approving. "You did well, Knox. I'm unlocking them now."
A surge of energy coursed through Knox's body, his Kryptonian strength and powers returning in full force. He stood up, feeling rejuvenated, the pain and fatigue melting away.
"Remember," Kaelina said, "you need to do this every day. I'll lick your power again so your body can grown stronger."
Knox rolled his eyes. "Great. Looking forward to it." He reequipped his suit, the metallic black and crimson outfit materializing around him. He stepped out of the building and into the sunlight, his cape billowing behind him.
"What now?" he asked.
Kaelina's voice was smug. "That guy Rex mentioned the Steel Fang Syndicate. Time to pay them a visit. If you're going to build the Aegis Nexus, you'll need funds and an army. Taking over the underground us a good place to start."
Knox grinned. "Let's get to work."
With that, he took to the skies, ready to cave his path to dominance.
Hey guys hope you like the chapter. If you do please give me power stones to support me. Also tell me if you see any mistakes. See ya.