The platform pulsed once, then locked.
Aiden felt it immediately—
the air pressure changed.
Not hostile.
Restrictive.
Like the room itself was measuring him.
[PRIVATE TRIAL: ACTIVE]
[OBSERVATION: LIMITED]
[RECORDING: RESTRICTED]
Kade stood across from him, hands loose at his sides.
"No weapons," Kade said. "No powers."
Aiden blinked.
"…My powers are sealed anyway."
Kade's lips twitched.
"Exactly."
Aiden swallowed and stepped forward.
His body protested with every movement.
His muscles still hadn't recovered.
His stamina bar sat at an embarrassing 4%.
Kade circled him slowly.
"Tell me something," Kade said.
"When the Overseers called you an Error… what did you feel?"
Aiden clenched his jaw.
"…Relieved."
Kade stopped.
"Why?"
"Because," Aiden said quietly, "for once… there was a reason I didn't fit."
Silence stretched.
Then Kade nodded once.
"Good answer."
He moved.
No warning.
No mana flare.
No tell.
Aiden barely raised his arms in time—
SMACK.
A palm strike slammed into his chest.
Not hard.
Precise.
Aiden's breath exploded out of him and he crashed to the ground.
Pain bloomed.
Kade crouched beside him instantly.
"That," Kade said calmly, "is what you are without the system."
Aiden coughed, struggling to sit up.
"…Still alive."
Kade smiled faintly.
"Exactly."
He helped Aiden up—then immediately swept his legs out.
Aiden hit the floor again.
Kade didn't let him rest.
Strike.
Trip.
Lock.
Every move clean.
Every hit controlled.
Aiden couldn't touch him.
The System stayed silent.
No warnings.
No assistance.
Just pain and failure.
After the tenth fall, Aiden lay on his back, chest heaving.
"I'm… guessing… this is a lesson," he gasped.
Kade looked down at him.
"Yes."
He extended a hand.
Aiden hesitated—then took it.
Kade pulled him up easily.
"You relied on the system," Kade said.
"Then on power that hurt you just to exist."
Aiden clenched his fists.
"What choice did I have?"
Kade met his gaze.
"None. That's why you survived."
Aiden frowned.
"…That doesn't sound like an insult."
"It isn't."
Kade stepped back.
"You want to live?" he asked.
Aiden didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
"Then learn to fight without permission."
The System flickered once—weak, almost nervous:
[WARNING: UNAUTHORIZED TRAINING PATH DETECTED]
Kade smirked.
"Good. It's scared."
He pointed to the shattered dummy.
"Break it."
Aiden stared.
"With what?"
Kade folded his arms.
"Your body."
Aiden stepped toward the dummy.
His arms shook.
His legs burned.
He threw a punch.
It barely cracked the surface.
He hissed in pain.
Kade didn't stop him.
"Again."
Aiden punched again.
And again.
Blood smeared the dummy.
His knuckles split.
The System stayed silent.
Minutes passed.
Then—
CRACK.
A fracture spiderwebbed across the dummy's chest.
Aiden froze.
Kade nodded.
"Good."
Aiden sagged, panting.
"…That's it?"
Kade turned toward the exit.
"No."
The door unlocked.
"Training starts tomorrow.
Every day.
Until you either adapt…"
He glanced back over his shoulder.
"…or the system notices."
Aiden's heart thudded.
"What happens if it notices?"
Kade smiled thinly.
"Then we run."
The System flickered one last time:
[ERROR BEHAVIOR LOGGED]
Aiden wiped blood from his knuckles.
"…Guess I should start getting good at running."