The next day at school...
"Did you hear? That boy Jace… he's the one!"
"What? That Jace?! The weak one?"
Everyone whispered and stared.
"How did someone like him kill a monster?"
"Nah… that can't be true."
But before Jace could even sit down—
A group of students surrounded him.
"Hey, monster boy. You think you're cool now?"
Without warning, they punched him.
He didn't fight back.
They laughed. Loudly.
"He's still the same coward... pathetic."
But things changed fast.
After the first period, when lunch started,
teachers approached Jace with respect.
One even bowed slightly.
"You saved people. That takes real courage," a teacher said.
Other students were shocked.
Was this the same Jace they laughed at?
---
Later that day, another boy approached him.
"I won't hold back today, Jace. You coward… think you can beat me?"
Everyone went quiet.
SLAM!
Jace dodged his punch effortlessly.
Then—BAM!
A clean strike landed on the boy's gut.
A second punch. Then a third.
The guy went flying into a desk.
"W-What the hell...?"
"Is this really Jace?!"
Jace stood, breathing heavily.
> 🔥 "Level increased: 1 → 5."
"I… I beat him? But he's in the school's top 10…"
Jace was still in shock.
His power was growing.
---
But then...
"You son of a—! YOU beat my brother!!"
Another student charged at Jace with rage in his eyes.
"Yes. I did. You want revenge?" Jace replied coldly.
The guy didn't wait.
He punched.
Jace blocked.
Another punch. Another block.
Then—
BAM BAM BAM!
"AAAGHH!! How… how is he hitting me so hard?!"
> 🩸 "You're still Level 5… and not yet strong enough to take on rage."
Jace fell to the floor, blood dripping from his mouth.
But he clenched his fist.
"One more level… I need Level 6. But it's not easy..."
---
After School – 5:00 PM
Jace went straight to work.
"Madam, this sword… only 50,000 yen. Perfect for your son."
The customer smiled.
"Mom! I want that one!"
The boy was just ten — already dreaming of becoming a warrior.
The mother bought the auto-sword and left.
"Thank you! Please come again."
Jace smiled.
But suddenly...
"Hey, kid."
Three thugs entered the shop.
"Hand over your ring."
They didn't wait.
One of them hit Jace.
But this time—he didn't fall.
He stood up.
"You picked the wrong kid."
SWOOSH!
HOOK! KICK! JAB!
"Ugh!!"
"Splash!" One of them hit the glass.
Jace's fists moved like fire.
"NOW GET OUT!" he shouted.
The thugs ran off.
The shop owner came out, stunned.
"You… you really fought them off? From today… your pay is doubled."
200 yen → 500 yen.
Jace couldn't believe it. "Thank you, sir…"
---
6:30 PM – Back Home
"Mom, my daily pay just became 500 yen!"
He smiled, handing over a new dress.
"And I got this for Mary."
His little sister beamed.
"Thank you, big bro! You're the best!"
That moment meant everything.
---
8:00 PM – Time to Train
Jace stood alone in his room.
"One push-up… ten… twenty…"
"Aghhh… I'm tired…"
"No. I have to keep going.
I have to become like my father."
"90… 100… 120… 150… 200!!"
His body trembled. But he did it.
Now—Boxing.
"Punch!"
Blood from his knuckles.
"I don't care… I'll keep going."
"Straight… hook… mix… KICK!"
"I can do it!!"
He charged at the tree outside.
KICK!
Pain surged through his leg.
"AAHH!"
But he didn't stop.
> 💢 "If I stop now, I'll never reach Level 6…".