The morning sun filtered faintly through the thin curtains of the small apartment. Kaelen rose from his bed, stretching out the stiffness in his limbs. He splashed cold water on his face, the chill helping to shake off lingering drowsiness.
From the kitchen came the familiar smell of herbs. The old lady was already awake, humming softly as she tended to a steaming pot. She looked up as Kaelen stepped into the narrow room.
"Heading out so early?" she asked, her voice warm but lined with age.
Kaelen nodded. "School starts soon. I will be back before evening."
She waved him off, smiling faintly. "Don't push yourself too hard. You look better with some rest on you."
"I'll be fine," Kaelen replied, his tone even but respectful. He adjusted his bag and slipped on his shoes. Before leaving, he inclined his head slightly. "Thank you for looking after me."
The old lady chuckled. "You say that every morning. Go on before you're late."
Kaelen stepped into the crisp morning air, his mind already busy. He walked in silence, turning over possibilities in his head. His thoughts ran deep, so much so that he hardly noticed the figure until his shoulder bumped into someone.
A sharp voice cut through the air. "Hey. Watch where you're going."
Kaelen blinked, pulling himself back to the present. A boy a head taller than him stood glaring, jaw tight, fists already clenched.
"My mistake," Kaelen said, his tone even.
But the boy's irritation only grew. "You think you can just bump into me and walk away?!" He shoved Kaelen roughly in the chest.
Kaelen's eyes narrowed. 'Irrational. Aggressive. No chance of diffusing this.'
The boy lunged, a fist cutting toward Kaelen's jaw. Instinct kicked in. Kaelen's stance shifted, arms loose but precise. He deflected the strike with his forearm, stepped in close, and drove a palm into the bully's chest. The boy staggered back but roared and charged again.
This time Kaelen met him with a low kick to the thigh, then a sharp elbow to the shoulder. The boy crashed to the ground, groaning, unable to rise.
[Jeet Kune mastery increased by +2%. Current mastery: 7%.]
Kaelen exhaled slowly, adjusting his bag. 'So, it improves through combat experience. The flow feels sharper already. At this rate, I can reach max proficiency in no time.'
Without another glance at the boy, Kaelen continued toward the school. By the time he reached class, the morning's energy had faded. He rested his head on his folded arms, the low buzz of students filling the room. His eyes had almost closed when a hand tapped his desk.
Kaelen lifted his head slightly. Suhyeon stood there, eyes calm, unreadable.
"Join my crew," Suhyeon said plainly.
Kaelen considered the request for only a moment before nodding. "Alright."
[Mission complete. Objective: Officially join Suhyeon Kim's crew. Reward: +5% stamina. Stat updated.]
A subtle ease filled his limbs, a fresh endurance settling into his body. Suhyeon studied him briefly before returning to his seat, his face giving nothing away.
The rest of the school day blurred by, lessons drifting one into another. When the final bell rang, Kaelen rose from his seat and walked out alone, letting Suhyeon and Gukja take a different path. The streets stretched quiet at first, then gradually filled with small clusters of delinquent-looking students lingering around corners and loitering near alleyways.
Kaelen's eyes swept over them casually, noting their movements. 'Interesting,' he thought. 'Each of them has some skill, some unpredictability…'
He remembered the fight from this morning, the shift in his Jeet Kune mastery. 'If that worked with one bully…why not others? I can train after school. Build my stamina, test my reflexes, increase my proficiency.'
A small shop glimmered with neon down the street. Kaelen stepped inside, examining the masks displayed on a shelf. Selecting a simple black mask, he paid and slipped it into his bag. He returned to the quiet streets, blending in with the shadows.
Back at the apartment, he placed the mask in the corner of his room and began his basic training. Push-ups, squats, stretches, shadow strikes, and footwork drills. Every movement precise, every repetition deliberate. His muscles ached but responded, growing firmer, faster.
As night deepened, he slipped the mask on and ventured into the streets. Delinquents scattered in small groups, eyes wary as he approached. Each encounter became a controlled practice. Dodges, strikes, blocks, counters. Some ran after the first touch, others tested him further. Each fight brought subtle shifts in his stamina, endurance, and Jeet Kune mastery.
[Stamina +2%. Endurance +2%. Jeet Kune mastery +1%.]
Kaelen paused, wiping sweat from his brow, noting the incremental growth in his abilities. 'This… this works. I can keep improving like this. Every encounter, every test, it all counts.'
By the time he returned home, the streets quiet again, he felt a subtle satisfaction. Not just the physical growth, but the mental clarity, the awareness of every movement and thought. The path forward was uncertain, but for the first time, Kaelen felt he could shape it.