Chapter 5: Challenge Accepted
POV: Zai
I didn't sleep that night.
I couldn't.
Each time I shut my eyes, I saw the blue tether pulling me back from that fall. I felt the rush of Falcon Dash still in my legs, and my fingers frozen from the burst of flame that shot off my hand.
This wasn't an isolated incident. This was real. The system was remolding me. Testing me.
And I was only Level 2.
I scowled at the crack in my ceiling, hoodie wrapped around me like armor.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Your recent actions have impressed the system. You are now eligible for a Personal Challenge.
Challenge Type: Combat and Control
Name: "Combo Trial I"
Description: Perform a 3-Hit Combo using any combination of unlocked abilities.
Difficulty: D-Rank
Reward: +20 EXP | Combo System Unlocked | Hidden Bonus if Combo ends with a Smash Variant attack.
Time Limit: 48 Hours
Accept Challenge? (Y/N)
I hovered over "Y" in my mind.
And then tapped it.
[CHALLENGE ACCEPTED – COMBO TRIAL I]
THE NEXT DAY – LUNCHTIME
School was abuzz again, but for reasons other than the usual.
Someone was able to record me laying that dash on DeShawn on shaky cell phone video. The clip made its way around school last night. No fireball. No audio. Just a blur of me running into DeShawn like an NFL linebacker.
I wasn't well-liked, but people noticed. Even teachers shot me curious looks, like they were asking themselves what was happening.
"Hey, Zai!" Evan signaled to me at lunch like we were friends all of the sudden. "You got that. anime mojo or something? You taking creatine or—"
"I just exercised," I lied, sitting down in front of him.
Evan lowered his voice. "You see DeShawn's older cousin goes to East High, right? That school is nuts. You should lay low."
I just nodded and speared some unidentifiable meat with my fork.
The truth? I couldn't lay low. Not if I had ambitions to level up. Not if I had ambitions to take charge.
AFTER SCHOOL – BACK ALLEY, 4:12 PM
The system had a weird manner of guiding me.
I didn't even mean to circumvent the rear of the corner store. But my body just moved as if it knew the way. I was tracking this abstract pulse until I found myself in a busted alleyway at the rear of an abandoned laundromat where crushed shopping carts and abandoned chip bags abode.
Then I noticed them.
Three street kids maybe a year or two older than me. One was carrying a chain like it was a toy. Another had brass knuckles. The third?
Just gigantic.
They were circling around this lanky, tall individual in a UPS outfit—had to be a delivery guy who made a wrong turn.
[SYSTEM SCAN INITIATED – Threat Level: Medium]
You may intervene. Successful combat is applied toward challenge objective.
I stepped forward.
"Yo."
The chain guy turned first. "What? Who're you?"
I cracked my knuckles. "Zai."
That was all I had to say.
[COMBAT MODE INITIATED – CHALLENGE: COMBO TRIAL I]
I moved fast.
Step 1:
I jabbed the first guy in the ribs. BASIC PUNCH – Smash Variant.
He doubled over.
Step 2:
Rolled in front of the chain swing. SHORT DODGE ROLL.
Popped up.
Step 3:
FALCON DASH enabled half way through the step, and I shoulder-charged the brass knuckle character into a trash can.
[3-HIT COMBO COMPLETE]
[BONUS CONDITION MET: Combo Finished with Smash Variant]
+25 EXP
COMBO SYSTEM UNLOCKED
The delivery man stared in shock.
The giant charged at me in blind rage.
"Let me get a try at it," I growled.
[FIREBALL THROW – ACTIVATED]
Orange ball hit him in the chest—not very much damage, but enough to irritate him.
Then—
[NEEDLE SHOT – ACTIVATED]
Thunk.
The needle hit his thigh, and he jerked before crashing into the alley wall.
I looked at my hands. I was ready now.
[LEVEL UP!]
Zai – Level 3
New Skill Unlocked: Combo Chain (Lv. 1)
→ As many as 3 alternate attacks are now chainable for bonus damage and effects.
→ Successful chains reduce cooldown and earn EXP.
→ Can be trained for smoothness and larger count.
All cooldowns and stamina are reset.
The delivery boy quickly nodded, backing away. "Th-thank you! Thank you!"
I simply waved and walked away.
Heading home, the system registered its last ping:
[NEXT SYSTEM TRIAL: "Edge of Power" – Accessible at Level 4]
Hint: Sometimes the best way to move forward… is off the edge.
Whatever that was, I knew one thing for sure.
I wasn't just existing anymore.
I was leveling up.