Darkness faded slowly.
Not sudden.
Not peaceful.
Just… gradual awareness returning.
---
Fredy opened his eyes.
The ceiling above him was the same—cracked, stained, lifeless.
"…Still here."
His voice was steadier now.
Weaker than normal—but no longer on the edge of collapse.
---
He didn't move immediately.
Instead, he focused.
On his body.
On the pain.
---
It was still there.
Dull. Heavy. Lingering.
But no longer overwhelming.
---
"…I recovered faster."
That wasn't a guess.
It was a conclusion.
---
[Status]
Strength: 1.21
Endurance: 1.52
Speed: 1.00
---
Fredy stared at the numbers.
"…That's a jump."
Endurance had increased the most.
Which explained it.
---
"…So recovery scales too."
Not just durability.
Not just resistance.
But the ability to keep going.
---
He slowly sat up.
This time—
No collapse.
No immediate failure.
---
"…Good."
---
His gaze shifted to the metal pipe lying nearby.
Dented slightly from repeated impact.
---
Fredy picked it up again.
Weighed it in his hand.
---
"…Let's confirm."
---
He stood.
Steadier than before.
Not strong.
But no longer helpless.
---
Without hesitation—
CLANG!
---
The pipe struck his forearm again.
Pain surged instantly.
Sharp.
Clean.
---
Fredy gritted his teeth.
But didn't stop.
---
CLANG!
---
His breathing grew heavier.
But he stayed standing.
---
Then—
---
[+0.02 Endurance]
---
Fredy paused.
"…Less?"
---
He hit again.
Harder.
---
CLANG!
---
[+0.02 Endurance]
---
Silence.
---
"…So it's dropping."
---
He lowered the pipe slightly, thinking.
---
"Same action… less reward."
---
Which meant—
---
"…Adaptation."
---
His body had already begun adjusting.
The same level of damage no longer counted as "breaking his limit."
---
Fredy exhaled slowly.
"…So I need more."
---
More strain.
More risk.
More intensity.
---
A faint smile appeared.
---
"…This really is insane."
---
Most people would stop here.
This was already beyond normal.
---
Fredy didn't.
---
Instead—
He changed approach.
---
He dropped the pipe.
And clenched his fists.
---
"…Let's try something else."
---
He lowered himself to the ground again.
Push-up position.
---
"One…"
His arms trembled immediately.
---
"Two…"
Pain followed quickly.
---
"Three… four…"
He kept going.
Past the point he failed before.
---
"Five… six…"
His muscles burned.
Harder than before.
---
"Seven…"
His arms gave out.
---
He collapsed.
But this time—
---
[+0.02 Strength]
---
Fredy's eyes sharpened.
"…Better."
---
Not much.
But better than before.
---
He rolled onto his back, breathing heavily.
---
"So repetition isn't useless…"
---
"It just has a limit."
---
Push past that limit—
Get reward.
Stay within it—
Get nothing.
---
"…Clear enough."
---
Fredy sat up again, slower this time.
Fatigue was building.
---
But so was understanding.
---
"…Then the answer is simple."
---
He stood.
Unsteady—but standing.
---
"I need to keep increasing the threshold."
---
Not random suffering.
Not blind effort.
---
Controlled escalation.
---
Fredy walked toward the wall.
Placed his hand against it.
---
Then—
He started punching.
---
Thud.
---
Pain shot through his knuckles.
---
Thud.
---
Skin split slightly.
---
Thud.
---
Blood.
---
His breathing grew heavier.
But he didn't stop.
---
Then—
---
[+0.03 Strength]
---
A sharp grin appeared.
---
"…There it is."
---
He hit again.
Harder.
---
THUD!
---
[+0.04 Strength]
---
His fist trembled now.
Damage accumulating.
---
But so was growth.
---
Fredy leaned his forehead against the wall, breathing hard.
---
"…So this is the path…"
---
No shortcuts.
No safety.
---
Only one direction.
---
Forward.
---
Even if it hurt.
---
Even if it broke him.
---
Fredy straightened slowly.
His eyes calmer now.
Focused.
---
"…Good."
---
Because now—
He wasn't guessing anymore.
---
He was learning.
---
Outside, the city remained loud.
Distant sirens.
Faint chaos.
---
A world that could crush him at any moment.
---
Fredy looked toward the broken window.
---
"…Next…"
---
His voice was quiet.
But firm.
---
"…I need a real fight."
---
Not training.
Not controlled pain.
---
Something unpredictable.
---
Something dangerous.
---
Because only then—
---
Would he truly break his limits.
---
End of Chapter 4