The school day started as usual—students crowding the hallways, gossiping about fights, and the usual drama unfolding. But today, my focus wasn't on keeping an eye out for potential enemies. Today, my focus was on someone else: Mary Kim.
I wasn't the type to fall head over heels at first sight, but Mary intrigued me. She wasn't like the other girls, who either fawned over fighters or avoided them completely. She carried herself with confidence, like she didn't need validation from anyone.
She was also one of the toughest girls in school. Not just physically, but mentally. And if there was one thing I admired, it was strength.
During lunch, I spotted Mary sitting with some of her friends. She was laughing at something one of them had said, her confidence shining through.
I took a deep breath and approached the table. The moment I stepped closer, the conversation around her died down. All eyes were on me.
Mary raised an eyebrow. "Something you need, Jinwoo?"
I smirked. "Just thought I'd introduce myself properly."
She gave me a skeptical look. "You fought Vasco, didn't you?"
"That obvious?"
She scoffed. "Everyone's talking about it. So? What do you want?"
I wasn't expecting her to be easy, but her bluntness caught me off guard.
"A conversation."
She leaned back, arms crossed. "You think you're the first guy to try and talk to me?"
"No," I admitted. "But I bet I'm the most interesting one."
Her friends snickered, but Mary just rolled her eyes. "Confident, aren't you?"
"Only when I need to be."
For a moment, she studied me, as if trying to figure out what my deal was. Finally, she sighed. "Fine. You get five minutes. Don't waste them."
Sitting across from Mary, I could feel the weight of her gaze. Unlike most people, she didn't seem fazed by my reputation.
"So," she said, tapping her fingers against the table, "why are you really here?"
I smirked. "I already told you. I wanted to talk."
"You expect me to believe that?" she shot back. "Guys only approach me for two reasons: to ask me out or to challenge me. So which one is it?"
I chuckled. "Maybe I just think you're interesting."
She arched an eyebrow. "That so? Then tell me—what do you know about me?"
I leaned in slightly. "You're one of the best fighters among the girls. You don't tolerate nonsense, and you're fiercely loyal to your friends. But you also have a soft side, even if you try to hide it."
For a split second, I saw her expression falter. But just as quickly, she recovered. "Not bad. But that doesn't mean I'm interested."
I grinned. "I never said you were."
She huffed, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "You're persistent. I'll give you that. But if you think a few clever lines will impress me, you're mistaken."
"Good," I said. "I wouldn't want this to be easy."
For the first time, Mary smiled. It was subtle, barely there, but I caught it.
As lunch ended, Mary stood up. "Alright, Jinwoo. You got your five minutes."
"And?"
She smirked. "You're not as annoying as I thought you'd be. But don't get ahead of yourself."
I chuckled. "Wouldn't dream of it."
As she walked away, I knew one thing for sure—this was going to be fun.
After school, I decided to train at a nearby gym. Strength alone wouldn't be enough to keep up with the monsters in this world, and I needed to sharpen my skills. Just as I was wrapping up my workout, I noticed someone watching me from the corner of the gym."You're pretty good," the voice said.
I turned and found Zack Lee standing there, arms crossed. His gaze was sharp, analyzing me. "Didn't expect to see you here," I said.
"Same to you," Zack replied. "You take fighting seriously. I respect that."
I wiped the sweat from my forehead. "You looking for a spar?"
He smirked. "Maybe another time. I just wanted to see if you were the real deal. You're new, but you're already making waves."
I nodded. "I don't plan on stopping anytime soon."
Zack studied me for a moment before shrugging. "Good. Just don't get in over your head. This school's got a lot of tough guys, and not everyone plays fair."
I chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind."
As Zack walked away, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being tested—by him, by Mary, by everyone. But that was fine. I was ready for whatever came next.
That night, I activated the Nano Machine's advanced features. My fight with Vasco was still fresh in my mind, and I needed to analyze every move."Initiate battle simulation," I commanded.
A translucent blue AR interface appeared before me, scanning through recorded fights. I selected Vasco's past battles, watching how he moved, his footwork, and his signature Dempsey Roll.
Then the real training began. The VR simulation projected a life-sized Vasco in front of me, his movements perfectly replicated.
"Engage combat mode."
Vasco lunged forward, and I instinctively dodged, but the simulation adjusted its speed, forcing me to react in real-time. He threw a powerful right hook—I barely managed to block it.
The Nano Machine fed data into my brain, pinpointing weaknesses and counterattack strategies.
"Counter with an uppercut at a 45-degree angle," the AI instructed.
I followed through, my fist connecting with Vasco's chin. The simulated Vasco staggered, recalibrating before launching another attack.
Hours passed as I fought the simulated version of Vasco over and over again. My reflexes sharpened, my footwork improved, and my reactions became second nature.
Sweat dripped down my face as I ended the final simulation. The Nano Machine displayed my progress:
Reaction Speed: Improved by 12%Strike Accuracy: Increased by 18%
Endurance: Enhanced by 10%
I exhaled, feeling the exhaustion set in. If this was just the beginning, I could only imagine what I'd be capable of with more training.
"Tomorrow," I muttered, wiping my sweat. "I'll be even stronger."
With Vasco's techniques now ingrained into my muscle memory, I knew one thing for sure—no one would take me lightly again.