The sun crept over the sprawling campus of Arclight Academy, casting long golden beams across the training grounds.
The clang of steel on steel echoed faintly in the distance as Ryo adjusted the black leather straps of his practice gauntlets. Around him, students filtered into the yard in loose clusters, their chatter punctuated by the occasional boast or laugh.
The scent of morning dew mixed with the faint metallic tang of sharpened weapons — a reminder that even in a place dedicated to learning, blood had been spilled here before, and would again.
Ryo stood apart from the others, watching. Not because he was unwelcome — though some gave him side glances — but because old habits died hard. His life before the academy had taught him to observe first, act later.
The system's interface flickered faintly in his vision.
[Daily Objective: Spar at least 10 opponents]Reward: +1 STR | +1 AGI | 5 System Points
He exhaled slowly. Ten opponents before lunch. Looks like today isn't going to be boring.
A sharp whistle cut through the morning air.
"Ryo! I see you're still brooding like some tragic hero."
The voice belonged to Renji, a tall, broad-shouldered youth with perpetually messy copper hair and a grin that could talk its way out of trouble — or into it. He strolled over, wooden training sword resting on his shoulder.
Renji wasn't just another classmate. He was the closest thing Ryo had to a sparring partner worth his time. His swordsmanship was unrefined but ferociously quick, and his temper… well, it had gotten them both into trouble more than once.
"Brooding keeps me sharp," Ryo replied without looking at him. "Unlike you, I don't mistake noise for skill."
Renji laughed, unfazed. "Skill, huh? Let's test that today."
Before Ryo could answer, the academy instructor's voice rang out.
Instructor Varen's Challenge
"Form up, recruits!"
Instructor Varen strode into the yard, his crimson-trimmed coat billowing slightly. He was a veteran swordsman, his silver hair tied back, his eyes sharp as a hawk's. Stories said he'd once cut down a wyvern in a single stroke, though whether that was truth or legend, no one dared ask.
"Today," Varen began, "we test endurance and adaptability. You will face multiple opponents in succession. The moment you yield or are disarmed, you're done."
Murmurs spread through the crowd. This wasn't a typical warm-up.
Varen's gaze swept over the students and stopped on Ryo. A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Kisaragi. You're first."
The yard quieted instantly.
Ryo stepped into the ring, the wooden training sword in his grip feeling almost weightless. Across from him stood a stocky boy with a round face, gripping his blade tightly.
"Begin!"
The boy charged immediately, swinging in a wide arc. Ryo shifted his weight, sidestepping the blow and tapping the boy's shoulder with the tip of his sword.
"Out," Varen said flatly.
The boy stared, baffled, before trudging out of the ring.
Two… Three… Four
Opponent after opponent came, each with their own style — a nervous archer forced into melee, a spear-user with too much reach and not enough speed, a dual-wielder who underestimated Ryo's timing.
Each fell in less than twenty seconds.
The system chimed quietly with each victory.
[Opponent Defeated – +1 System Point]
But Ryo kept his focus on the next challenger.
Renji Steps In
By the eighth match, Renji stepped into the ring, a grin splitting his face. "Guess it's my turn to wipe that calm off your face."
This time, Ryo tightened his grip. Renji wasn't like the others — he was unpredictable.
They clashed. Wood cracked against wood as Renji launched a flurry of strikes, forcing Ryo back a step. His footwork was wild, but each blow carried weight.
Ryo ducked a horizontal slash, sweeping low with his own blade — only for Renji to hop back, spinning his sword into a defensive guard.
For the first time that morning, Ryo's pulse quickened. He's faster than before.
Renji lunged again, and in that split second, Ryo felt something shift.
It wasn't just instinct — it was awareness. His body processed the angle of the attack, the speed, the rhythm… and adapted.
The system's interface flickered:
[Passive Ability Formed: Adaptive Reflex]You learn to adjust to repeated attack patterns in real-time, reducing incoming damage.
Ryo sidestepped cleanly, tapping Renji's ribs with his blade.
"Point," Varen said.
Renji groaned. "Damn, I was so close."
Two more challengers later, it was over. Ryo stood alone in the ring, the crowd murmuring about his clean sweep.
Varen approached, his expression unreadable. "Not bad, Kisaragi. But don't let your victories make you complacent. A single mistake, and you'll be dead before you realize it."
Ryo only nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. Adaptive Reflex. It wasn't much — yet — but it felt like the first step toward something greater.
The system chimed again.
[Daily Objective Complete]Reward: +1 STR | +1 AGI | 5 System Points]
The Shadow Watching
As the students dispersed, Ryo caught sight of a figure leaning against the far wall — a tall man in dark robes, half his face obscured by a hood. His gaze was fixed on Ryo, unblinking.
The moment Ryo met his eyes, the man vanished into the crowd.
A chill ran down Ryo's spine.
Something told him today's test had been more than just an academy exercise.
The cold morning air of the third day pressed against Ryo's skin like a silent warning. The arena-like valley where the trial was being held had changed again—its terrain shifting overnight as if the dungeon itself was alive and plotting. Jagged stone spires jutted from the ground, cutting the battlefield into isolated sections. The sky was a swirling haze of crimson and black, hinting at the danger to come.
The moment he stepped forward, the familiar chime of the system echoed in his mind.
[Third Day Objective: Survive until sunset. Additional Bonus: Eliminate the Trial Boss.]
Ryo frowned. The first two days had been brutal—testing stamina, adaptability, and raw combat skill—but this? Survive an entire day in this death pit? The system's wording alone suggested something relentless was waiting.
The ground trembled beneath him. Shadows moved between the spires. And then… they emerged.
Dozens of creatures—humanoid in shape but grotesque in form, their bodies covered in thorn-like bone growths and dripping with acidic ichor. Their eyes glowed faintly yellow, tracking him in perfect unison. They didn't rush him immediately; they surrounded him, tightening the circle, waiting for the first sign of weakness.
Ryo's breathing slowed. His muscles were sore from the previous days. His mana reserves were low. His mind whispered the truth: If I fight them like this… I won't last an hour.
And then—
[Warning: Host survival probability—4%.][Hidden Ability Fragment Detected.][Do you wish to unlock: Paradox Psyche?]
He didn't hesitate. Yes.
The world froze for a fraction of a second. Something ancient and alien stirred inside him—like a sleeping predator finally opening its eyes.
[Ability Unlocked: Paradox Psyche.]Effects: Superhuman Strength, Infinite Regeneration, Infinite Stamina, Enhanced Reflexes, Adaptive Resistance.[Additional traits awakened due to compatibility.][Ability Unlocked: All-Seeing Eye (Tier 1).][Ability Unlocked: Mana Path Detection.][Passive Growth Trait Acquired: Limitless Growth.][System Fragment Integrated.]
His heart thundered once—then steadied into an unshakable rhythm. Pain faded. Fatigue dissolved. His vision sharpened until he could see every drop of acidic slime rolling off the monsters' bodies, every faint ripple of mana in the air. He could hear the subtle creak of their bones as they shifted positions.
The nearest creature lunged. Ryo's body moved before his mind could process. His hand shot forward, grabbing its skull mid-air, and crushed it like brittle glass. The acid splashed harmlessly off his skin—his body had already adapted to resist it.
The others screeched and charged as one. Ryo's lips curved into something between a smirk and a predator's grin.
The battlefield became a blur of movement. Every strike he threw shattered bones. Every slash of his blade tore through multiple enemies. Limbs regenerated instantly from shallow cuts and even deep gashes that would have killed him hours ago. His stamina didn't dip—if anything, he felt faster with each kill.
The All-Seeing Eye lit paths in his vision, predicting enemy movements before they made them. Mana Path Detection revealed the core energy flow in their twisted bodies—he targeted them precisely, ending fights in one blow.
By midday, the ground was littered with corpses that dissolved into ash. The air was heavy with the metallic tang of blood and mana. And yet… the sun was still far from setting.
The earth trembled again. This time, the sound was heavier, more deliberate. A shadow fell across him as a figure emerged from behind the farthest stone spire.
It wasn't just a monster—it was the monster. The Trial Boss.
A towering, centaur-like abomination, with a chitinous armored body and four blade-like arms. Its face was a nightmarish mix of human and insect, mandibles clicking as it tasted the air. A crimson aura of pure killing intent surrounded it, and its mana pathways glowed like molten veins under its carapace.
The system chimed again.
[Boss Detected: Carapace Tyrant – Level ???][Special Rule: This enemy's strength will adapt to match the challenger's.]
Ryo narrowed his eyes. So it's like me.
The boss moved, and the world blurred. Its speed was monstrous—its bladed arm slicing toward Ryo's neck. He ducked, sparks flying as the blade grazed stone. He countered with a punch that cratered the ground and sent shockwaves through the air… but the Tyrant's armor absorbed the impact.
They exchanged blows that cracked stone pillars and shook the valley. Each time Ryo adapted, so did the Tyrant. His regeneration matched Ryo's; his speed mirrored Ryo's boosts. It was like fighting a reflection that grew deadlier with every second.
Minutes stretched into hours. Ryo's All-Seeing Eye pulsed, mapping new attack patterns. His Mana Path Detection revealed a weakness—a thin, unstable mana node at the base of its neck. The problem was reaching it.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, Ryo decided. Time to end this.
He feinted left, drawing two of its blades in a sweeping arc. At the same time, he let the Tyrant pierce his shoulder deliberately, locking its arm in place. Pain flared—but Paradox Psyche's regeneration kicked in instantly. Using the opening, Ryo leapt upward, his free hand glowing with condensed mana.
[Original Ability Created: Void Piercer.]
The strike hit dead center at the node. The Tyrant let out a screech that shook the air—then its body exploded into fragments of black dust.
Silence fell. The system chimed.
[Trial – Third Day Complete.][Reward: Ability Evolution Token, High-Rank Mana Crystal, ???]
Ryo stood in the quiet, his heartbeat steady, his mind already wondering what tomorrow would bring. And somewhere deep inside, the System Fragment pulsed faintly, as if it was… watching him.