The gym was eerily quiet the next morning. When Ippo and I arrived at Kamogawa Gym, only a few boxers were scattered around, warming up or shadowboxing. The air was thick with the smell of sweat and the occasional grunt of effort.
"Alright, you two," Kamogawa said, appearing from the office and motioning for us to follow. "Let's see if you came back because you're serious, or if you're just wasting my time."
He pointed at the heavy bags hanging in a row along one wall. The cracked leather and faint bloodstains were intimidating. Ippo stared at them with wide eyes.
"Your first task is simple. Throw a hundred punches each. I don't care how hard or how fast. Just get used to hitting something," Kamogawa said.
My heart raced as I stepped up to the bag, my hands trembling with nervous energy. I threw a few tentative jabs, each punch echoing with a satisfying thud. The bag barely moved, but that wasn't the point.
"Good," Kamogawa barked. "Now keep going. Don't stop."
I focused on my rhythm, ignoring the burning in my arms as I threw punch after punch. Beside me, Ippo struggled to keep up, his punches awkward and slow, but there was something admirable about his determination.
The system's voice suddenly rang in my head.
---
Mission Activated: Train Like a Fighter
Goal: Perform 300 punches.
Reward: +1 Strength, +1 Endurance, Unlock [Hook Lv. 1].
---
I froze mid-punch, the notification taking me by surprise. Three hundred punches? That was triple what Kamogawa had asked for. My arms already felt like jelly from just fifty punches. How was I supposed to do three hundred?
"Takashi!" Kamogawa's voice snapped me out of it. "What are you standing around for? Keep punching!"
I gritted my teeth and resumed, my fists slamming into the bag. The system missions weren't optional. If I wanted to improve, I had to push myself beyond my limits.
One punch. Then another. My breathing became heavier with each strike. Sweat poured down my face, stinging my eyes, but I didn't stop.
---
Progress: 100/300 Punches
---
Kamogawa watched us from the side, his expression unreadable. Occasionally, he'd shout corrections. "Ippo! Keep your guard up! Takashi, stop flaring your elbows!"
I adjusted my form, my punches becoming sharper. The sting in my knuckles grew with every strike, but the notification in my mind kept me going.
---
Progress: 200/300 Punches
---
Beside me, Ippo was gasping for air, his punches slowing to a crawl. His face was flushed, and his arms hung limply at his sides. I glanced over at him, my own exhaustion temporarily forgotten.
"You okay, Ippo?" I asked between punches.
He nodded weakly, wiping sweat from his brow. "Y-Yeah. Just… harder than I thought."
I smiled despite myself. "It's supposed to be hard. But you're doing great. Just keep at it."
He gave me a hesitant smile and threw another punch, his form slightly improved.
---
Progress: 300/300 Punches
Mission Complete!
Reward: +1 Strength, +1 Endurance, Unlock [Hook Lv. 1].
---
A wave of relief washed over me as the system announced my success. My body felt like it was on fire, but a new energy surged through me as I opened my status window to check my progress.
---
Status Window
Strength: F+ → E-
Endurance: F → F+
Jab Lv. 1: Unlocked
Straight Lv. 1: Unlocked
Hook Lv. 1: Unlocked
---
"Alright," Kamogawa said, clapping his hands. "That's enough for today. Hit the showers."
I almost collapsed in relief, dragging myself toward the changing room with Ippo.
---
The cold water of the gym's showers was a blessing after the brutal training session. I leaned against the tiled wall, letting the water wash away the sweat and grime.
"Man, that was tough," Ippo said from the stall next to mine. His voice was quiet but steady, and I could hear a note of pride in it.
"Yeah," I agreed. "But you did good out there. Better than I did on my first day."
He chuckled softly. "Thanks. I don't know if I'll ever be good at this, though."
"You will," I said firmly. "You've got potential, Ippo. Trust me."
---
That evening, as I lay in bed, the system chimed again.
---
Daily Mission Available: Shadowboxing
Goal: Perform a 10-minute shadowboxing session.
Reward: +1 Agility.
---
I groaned, my body protesting at the thought of more training. But I forced myself to get up, stepping into the middle of my room.
I raised my fists, imagining an invisible opponent in front of me. I moved my feet in small, shuffling steps, throwing light jabs and straights. My reflection in the window was clumsy and awkward, but I could feel the improvement with each movement.
By the time the system confirmed my success, my muscles were screaming again. But my status window showed the reward was worth it.
---
Agility: F+ → E-
---
As I collapsed into bed, exhaustion finally taking over, I couldn't help but smile. It was just the beginning, but I was making progress.
---
The next week passed in a blur of training. Kamogawa put us through grueling sessions, focusing on the basics—punching, footwork, and conditioning. Ippo and I grew closer as we struggled through the pain together, pushing each other to keep going.
The system missions kept me on my toes, giving me small but significant boosts to my stats and unlocking new skills. By the end of the week, I had unlocked both an uppercut and basic footwork techniques, bringing me closer to being a true boxer.
---
On Friday, Kamogawa gathered Ippo and me after training. "You've been doing well," he said, his gruff voice carrying a note of approval. "But there's a long road ahead of you. Boxing isn't just about throwing punches. It's about discipline, strategy, and heart."
He turned to me. "Takashi, you've got a good foundation, but you rely too much on brute force. Work on your speed and precision."
"Yes, sir," I said, bowing deeply.
Then he looked at Ippo. "And you… you've got something special. I don't know what it is yet, but it's there. Keep working hard, and you might surprise yourself."
Ippo's eyes widened, and he bowed quickly. "Thank you, sir! I'll do my best!"
As we walked home together, Ippo's face was lit up with a smile I hadn't seen before. "Did you hear that, Takashi? He said I might have something special!"
I grinned, clapping him on the back. "Told you, didn't I? You've got this, Ippo. We both do."
As the sun set on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction. For the first time in both my lives, I was on a path that felt right.
The road ahead would be tough, but I wasn't alone. With Ippo by my side and the system guiding me, I knew we could take on anything.