The sky was just beginning to darken as Kenji made his way to the abandoned lot, his footsteps echoing in the quiet of the night.
He let out a long breath, rolling his shoulders as he took in the silence of the place. The lot was empty, as usual.
That was the point. Nobody here but him, the breeze, and the quiet whisper of his own heartbeat.
"Alright," he muttered to himself, shaking out his arms and rolling his neck. "Let's see if today's the day you finally get the hang of this."
Kenji set his bag down by a rusted barrel and pulled out his phone to check the stopwatch app. He'd been trying to time himself, counting every second he managed to keep his power steady and controlled.
He took a deep breath, centering himself.
Closing his eyes, he concentrated, reaching inward, trying to summon the warmth that he'd felt so many times before.
It was still strange to him, this sensation of power, simmering just below the surface.
"Alright… here we go."
Spreading the power throughout his entire body.
With his eyes closed, he took another deep breath, feeling the warmth spread evenly across his limbs, his chest, even his legs.
It felt stable, almost comfortable, like he'd finally found the right way to channel the energy.
But then, just as quickly as it had come, the energy began to waver. His muscles started to tremble, his heartbeat pounding faster as the strain built.
He clenched his fists, trying to hold on, but his vision blurred, and a wave of exhaustion washed over him. The glow flickered and died, leaving him standing there, breathless and unsteady.
The timer on his phone showed seven seconds. Only two seconds longer than before, but it had felt like an eternity.
He leaned forward, hands on his knees, panting as he caught his breath. His legs felt like they were made of lead, every muscle aching from the brief exertion.
"Guess… that's progress," he muttered between breaths, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Small steps. Really small steps."
He straightened, rolling his shoulders and stretching out his arms, trying to shake off the lingering fatigue.
The fact that he'd managed to hold the energy for even a little longer was encouraging, but it was clear that he had a long way to go before he'd be able to maintain it in any meaningful way.
He reset the timer, eyeing it with a determined frown. "Alright, one more time. Let's get to ten seconds. Just ten."
Closing his eyes again, he focused on that internal warmth, feeling it gather in his chest before spreading outward.
The glow returned, faint but steady, and he started the timer, gritting his teeth as he concentrated on keeping the energy balanced.
Every second felt like a battle, his muscles straining under the effort, his mind racing to keep the power contained.
Six seconds. Seven seconds. His heart hammered in his chest, the strain building as he pushed himself to hold on. Eight seconds.
The glow began to waver, his grip on the energy slipping. Nine seconds.
Finally, at the ten-second mark, the energy slipped from his grasp entirely, leaving him gasping for breath, his legs threatening to give out.
"Ten… seconds," he breathed, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Not bad. Could be better. But not bad."
Tomorrow, he'd come back with a different plan. Instead of fighting to hold the power in one place, he'd practice flowing with it.
As he picked up his bag, glancing at the brightening sky, he felt a surge of determination settle in his chest.
"Alright, Kenji," he muttered, slinging the bag over his shoulder. "Tomorrow's another day."
With one last look at the empty lot, he turned and headed home, a faint smile on his face as he mentally mapped out his next training session.
There was still so much to learn, so much he didn't understand, but he was ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.
After all, he'd gotten this far, hadn't he?
---
The day had started to dim as Kenji made his way home, his bag slung over his shoulder and the ache of the morning's training still lingering in his muscles.
He took a deep breath, the cool evening air refreshing after a long day. His mind wandered back to his earlier training session, replaying every second he'd held his power, wondering how he could keep that feeling longer.
He'd get there eventually, he told himself. Just needed a bit more patience.
As he passed by a narrow alley, a low voice caught his attention, barely audible above the background hum of the city.
"Hey, I told you, this is our spot. You've gotta pay if you want to keep setting up here."
Kenji froze, glancing into the alley. It was cramped, lined with grimy dumpsters and stacks of wooden crates piled haphazardly against the brick walls.
At the far end, he spotted three guys cornering a younger man who looked around Kenji's age.
The guy was dressed in an apron, hands up in a defensive gesture, his eyes darting nervously between the men surrounding him.
"Look, I already told you, I don't have anything," the shopkeeper said, his voice wavering. "I'm just trying to close up here."
The tallest of the three thugs leaned in, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Wrong answer." He shoved the shopkeeper against the wall, and the two others laughed, exchanging a glance that sent a chill down Kenji's spine.
Without thinking, Kenji took a step forward, his hand tightening around the strap of his bag.
Part of him wanted to keep walking, to ignore what was happening and stay out of trouble, but that was what his previous self would have done.
Before he knew it, he'd moved closer, throwing his bag to the side and standing just at the edge of the alley, his heart pounding in his chest.
He cleared his throat. "Hey! That's enough. Leave him alone."
The three men turned, their gazes landing on him with expressions ranging from irritation to amusement.
The tallest one, the leader, Kenji guessed, crossed his arms, giving him a once-over.
"And who the hell are you?" the leader sneered. He took a step forward, sizing Kenji up. "You lost or something, kid?"
Kenji swallowed, feeling a wave of nervous energy surge through him. Steady. Just… play it cool. He straightened, forcing his voice to sound more confident than he felt.
"Just someone who thinks you should back off and let the guy go.", That did not sound as cool as he wanted it to.
The leader raised an eyebrow, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh, really?" He gestured to his friends, who closed in around Kenji, blocking his escape route.
"You've got a lot of nerve, I'll give you that. But you should really learn to mind your own business."
Kenji's palms started to sweat as he weighed his options. Alright, Kenji, think. You've trained for this… sort of. He felt the familiar warmth of his power stirring in his chest, and he focused on summoning it, willing it to flow into his fists.
This was the real thing—not a quiet lot or a timed drill. His nerves buzzed, every sense heightened as he prepared himself.
He clenched his fists, feeling the warmth spread down his arms. It wasn't as strong or steady as he'd hoped, but it was there, humming just beneath his skin.
Come on… just hold it steady, he thought, taking a slow breath as he faced the leader.
"Last chance," he said, his voice steady, though his heart was still racing. "Walk away and there won't be any trouble."
The leader laughed, glancing back at his friends. "Oh, he doesn't want trouble. Did you hear that, boys?" He turned back to Kenji, his grin widening. "Well, too bad."
With that, the leader lunged forward, his fist coming at Kenji's face like a hammer. Kenji barely had time to react. His instincts took over, and he threw his arm up, feeling the faint glow of his power flare to life just in time.
The thug's knuckles slammed into Kenji's forearm, the impact sending a jolt up to his shoulder. He winced, feeling the vibration of the blow rattling his bones, but his powered-up arm held.
The thug staggered back, his face a mix of surprise and anger. "Think you're tough, huh?" he snarled.
Kenji's heart pounded as he forced the energy to spread across his arms, willing himself to keep the power contained, to keep it stable.
He felt his muscles tighten, the warmth humming under his skin, and he took a step forward, clenching his fist and swinging it at the thug's ribs.
'Control it!'
The punch connected, a solid, satisfying thud that made the leader scream in pain and stagger back, clutching his side.
But Kenji didn't have time to celebrate. Another thug rushed at him from the side, a glint of metal catching
Kenji's eye just before he felt the cold sting of a knife slicing across his forearm. Pain flared up his arm, a hot, searing line that made him gasp.
He jumped back, clutching his arm as blood began to seep between his fingers, staining his hand.
"Shit…" he muttered, his heart racing faster as he stared at the blood. He didn't have time to think, didn't have time to react before the third thug came at him, swinging a metal pipe.
Kenji ducked, barely avoiding the blow, the pipe whistling past his ear with a force that left him dazed.
Focus, Kenji! He clenched his fists, forcing himself to ignore the pain in his arm, to keep the power contained. He could feel it slipping, the energy faltering as his focus wavered.
The leader had recovered by now, his face twisted in a scowl as he came at Kenji again, this time throwing a series of punches.
Kenji blocked one, two hits, but the third punch slipped past his guard, slamming into his gut.
The impact drove the air from his lungs, and he doubled over, gasping, his vision blurring from the pain.
"Not so tough now, huh?" the leader sneered, grabbing Kenji by the collar and yanking him upright, his other hand drawing back for another punch. Kenji's instincts flared, and he twisted, grabbing the thug's wrist and channeling a burst of power into his grip.
He squeezed, feeling the man's bones shift under his fingers, and the thug howled in pain, wrenching his hand free.
But the moment cost Kenji. The second thug saw his chance and lunged, driving his shoulder into Kenji's side and slamming him into the brick wall.
Kenji's head snapped back, thumping against the rough stone, and he felt a sharp sting in his side as the thug's knee drove into his ribs.
Stars exploded in his vision, and he tasted blood in his mouth, the coppery tang filling his senses.
He tried to focus, tried to call up the energy again, but it was flickering, fading, slipping through his control like sand. Desperation clawed at him, and he clenched his fists, feeling the faint, stubborn warmth flare in his arms again.
The third thug swung the metal pipe, aiming for Kenji's ribs. He managed to twist at the last second, but the pipe still connected, slamming into his side with a sickening crunch. White-hot pain lanced through him, and he bit down a scream, his vision blurring as he staggered, clutching his side.
Come on, Kenji… focus, he thought, fighting through the haze of pain clouding his mind. He took a shaky breath, feeling the power flare up again, stronger this time, a surge that filled his fists with heat.
The leader stepped forward, grinning as he raised his fist again. But Kenji didn't wait. He swung his arm, putting a little more energy then he intended into it, feeling the energy explode in his fist as it connected with the thug's jaw.
The impact sent the man reeling, blood spraying from his nose as he crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain as he clutched his now shattered jaw.
Kenji's head was spinning, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he tried to stay upright.
He staggered back, clutching his bruised side, feeling the warmth of his power flickering like a dying flame. He couldn't hold on much longer, couldn't keep the energy steady.
The thug with the knife lunged again, slashing toward Kenji's chest. Kenji barely managed to dodge, the blade slicing across his shoulder, sending a fresh wave of pain ripping through him.
He stumbled, falling to one knee, his vision blurring as blood dripped from his wounds.
The last thug stood over him, raising the pipe for one final blow. Kenji gritted his teeth, forcing his hand up, feeling the last remnants of his power pooling in his fist.
He swung, his knuckles meeting the thug's knee with a crack, and the man let out a strangled scream, collapsing as his leg buckled.
Kenji gasped, clutching his side as he struggled to his feet, his entire body screaming in protest. The thugs lay sprawled around him, groaning.
His power had faded completely now, leaving him drained, weak, every movement a battle.
"You still want to do this?" he asked, but inside he was praying to every single god in existence that they would take his bluff and leave.
He held his ground, meeting their eyes with a determined glare.
Slowly, the leader backed away, muttering something under his breath. The other hesitated, looking between Kenji before finally retreating.
He turned to the shopkeeper, who was staring at him with a mix of awe and relief.
"You… you saved me," the guy stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "Thank you."
Kenji forced a smile, though his legs felt like they might give out at any second. "No problem," he said, trying to keep his voice light. "Just… be careful, alright?"
The shopkeeper nodded, still looking a bit shell-shocked, and hurried off, glancing over his shoulder as if to make sure the thugs weren't coming back.
Once he was gone, Kenji leaned against the wall, his head spinning as the adrenaline faded.
"Okay… that was… a lot," he muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead. His hands were shaking, his muscles throbbing from the strain of holding his power in check. It was humbling, to say the least.
The fight had felt clumsy, every movement either too weak or too strong, absolutely no sense of purpose in his strikes, his control slipping at the worst moments.
If those guys had been any tougher… I would've not made it out.
He took a deep breath, straightening as he gathered his thoughts. "This sucks..."
With one last look down the alley, Kenji turned and made his way home.
The encounter hadn't been a victory—it had been a wake-up call. He had more power than those guys, but no control and no fighting skills.
Nothing to support his strength, and that nearly cost him.
As he walked, he made a silent promise to himself: Next time, I'll be prepared. His next goals were clear, learning how to actually fight.
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Hey there! I'm trying to show how unprepared Kenji is in an actual fight, that he's going to need more training other than random workouts he popped up.
Did you like it? Please let me know!