Though Kenju had won the battle, his body was pushed past its limit. The pressure crushed down on him, and he collapsed to the ground — unconscious, but with a determined look frozen on his face.
As dawn broke, Kenju found himself lying on the forest floor — unfamiliar, wild, and silent. Pain throbbed in his head, his limbs felt heavy. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath.
"I'm still weak... I need to become stronger."
The world around him was foreign — strange plants and bizarre insects surrounded him. With no other choice, he pressed on, carefully gathering a few plants and storing them in his magic pouch.
> 🌿 System: Material obtained: "Strange Herb"
Suddenly, a woman's scream pierced through the silence — desperate, terrified, pleading for help.
Kenju's body moved on instinct.
As he arrived at the scene, a cart stood halted on the road. Six bandits surrounded a group of helpless travelers. Among the attackers stood a familiar face — Yuto, a swordsman from Kenju's original world.
Kenju froze, locking eyes with Yuto. The boy smirked — clearly entertained by the violence.
Kenju's breath deepened. He gripped the same iron shard he had used against the slime. No plan — only resolve.
"This is my fight. This is my battlefield to prove my strength."
The battle began.
Bandit #1 A clean strike — iron cracked against his face. "CRACK!" — unconscious.
"Look at me, Kenju… I'm not afraid. My hands aren't shaking. I'm ready."
Bandit #2 Before he could even raise his sword, Kenju kicked him back.
"If I stop now, weakness will return. No — I must move forward!"
Bandit #3 He slashed Kenju's left shoulder. Blood trickled down, but Kenju ignored the pain. He struck the bandit down.
"Pain? It won't stop me. This pain is the price of strength."
Blood soaked the earth.
Bandits #4 and #5 They attacked from both sides. Kenju dove and smashed their knees. They screamed, collapsing in agony.
"They're not strong… They fall when it's hard. But me… I rise again."
Bandit #6 Frozen in fear. Kenju, though bleeding, delivered the final blow.
Silence. The battlefield lay quiet, filled only with heartbeats and the scent of blood.
Kenju panted, his shoulder bleeding heavily.
But Yuto hadn't moved.
Yuto stepped forward, walking casually through blood.
"So, Kenju... where did you find such strength, foolish blacksmith?"
Kenju stayed silent. He gripped the iron shard tighter — no longer with hopeless eyes. His gaze burned.
He exhaled.
> 🌟 System: Ability activated: Reinforcement LVL 3 → LVL 4 Target selected: "Iron Shard" Reinforcement successful! Attack Power: +25% Status: Hardened (3 Hits Remaining)
Kenju stepped forward.
The fight began.
Yuto drew his blade. Kenju advanced — slow, but unwavering.
Their weapons clashed, slicing the air.
Yuto: a skilled warrior. Kenju: a flame of rage and determination.
Another slash — Yuto's sword cut Kenju again. More blood.
But Kenju didn't stop. His eyes shone — like they would burn the world.
*"I'm not weak. I'm not a warrior… but I