Chapter 42: No More Excuses
Rei stepped back onto Aether Academy's campus.
The towering buildings, the elite students, the constant reminder of how far behind he was—
None of it scared him anymore.
Because now, he had a reason to fight.
The Weight of Expectations
Rei (thinking, determined): I don't care if I'm the weakest. I don't care if I fail a hundred times.Rei: I will get stronger. Because my family is depending on me.
The memory of his mother's tears, his sister's laughter, the warmth of home—
They burned inside him like a fire that refused to go out.
For the first time, he wasn't just surviving.
He was pushing forward.
Rei's Training Begins – The Path of a Survivor
Rei didn't go to class.
Instead—he went straight to the training hall.
He had avoided physical training before.
Not this time.
✔ He studied how fast his body could move before it collapsed.✔ He tested how long he could dodge before his reflexes slowed.✔ He measured the perfect timing for his counterattacks.
💥 Strike. Dodge. Counter.
Again.Again.Again.
Hours passed.
His legs burned.His breath came in ragged gasps.His arms felt like lead.
Rei (panting, shaking): "One… more…"
💥 **He dodged at the last second—**too slow.
💥 The training dummy's arm slammed into his ribs.
He collapsed.
But instead of frustration—he laughed.
Rei (grinning through pain): "I lasted longer this time."
Failure wasn't failure anymore.
It was progress.
And nothing was going to stop him.
A New Challenge – The Strongest Take Notice
From the upper balcony, a group of students watched him.
✔ Souta and Akari—impressed, but worried.✔ Mika Fujiwara—curious, intrigued.✔ Daigo Shiranui—expressionless, analyzing.✔ And at the very top, Kozuki Renjou—watching with mild amusement.
Mika (raising an eyebrow): "He's not stopping."Daigo: "He's desperate."Souta (smirking): "No. He's evolving."
Even Kozuki—who had never cared before—finally acknowledged something.
Kozuki (quietly, to himself): "…Let's see how far you can go, Kurogane."
For the first time—they were watching him.
Not as a weakling.
But as a competitor.
And Rei?
He didn't even notice.
He was too busy training.