Adrian's feet started to hurt, and he could barely walk at first. Every step felt like carrying a mountain, but slowly, he began to get the hang of it. His balance improved, his legs adapted, and though the pain was still there, he pushed through it.
By the time he reached home, his legs were trembling, his body exhausted. He ate dinner quietly and went straight to bed, falling asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.
Before he knew it, morning had come. Adrian stretched, still feeling sore, but his determination burned brighter than ever. Without wasting a second, he made his way to the Hero Headquarters.
When he entered the familiar training room, he found Kenji standing in the middle with his eyes closed, completely still—as if meditating. After a moment, Kenji opened one eye and noticed Adrian.
"Adrian! You look stronger already!" said Kenji with a grin.
"Whoa! Do I really?" Adrian asked, his face lighting up.
Kenji chuckled. "Ha! No, I was just kidding."
Adrian frowned. "You really like messing with me, don't you?"
"Of course," Kenji said proudly. "Anyway, it's about time for you to use your first skill. Now—remove those weights."
Adrian obeyed. The moment he took them off, his body felt incredibly light, as if gravity itself had loosened its grip. He felt faster, stronger—each movement created a faint shockwave in the air.
"Now," Kenji said, folding his arms, "put all of your mass on one leg… then push yourself forward with everything you've got."
Adrian nodded and followed his teacher's command. He focused all his strength into one leg and kicked off.
In an instant, his body vanished from sight. Only a blurred afterimage remained where he once stood. When Adrian appeared again several meters ahead, he gasped in disbelief.
"What… what just happened!?"
Kenji smiled proudly. "Ah! What you just did was a skill called Flash Step. When you build up all your speed and release it at once, you move so fast that it looks like teleportation. The only trace you leave behind is a blurred afterimage."
Adrian's eyes widened. "So the weights really did help! I felt so fast—I could barely tell what was happening!"
Kenji nodded. "Exactly. Keep using it, and one day you'll be able to perform Flash Step without even preparing for it."
"Whoa… I look forward to that day," said Adrian with a grin.
Kenji's expression softened. "I do too." He turned slightly, looking distant for a moment. "You've got great potential, Adrian. But… this will be the last time I see you for a while. I have matters to attend to in other places."
Adrian blinked in surprise. "Wait—what? You're leaving?"
"Yeah…" Kenji said quietly. "But don't worry. This isn't goodbye forever. Keep training—and when I return, I expect you to have mastered that skill."
Adrian clenched his fists and nodded firmly. "I will. I promise."
Kenji smiled faintly. "Good. Don't make me regret teaching you."
And with that, the lesson was over.The room suddenly felt emptier than before. This was the last time Kenji would teach Adrian—at least for now. Adrian fought the sadness building in his chest. Kenji wasn't gone forever. He would return. Until then, Adrian had only one mission:
Master Flash Step.
Adrian tightened his fists, took a deep breath, and activated the skill. His body shot forward, disappearing in a blur. Within just a few minutes, he was already home—much faster than normal.
But the moment he stopped moving, exhaustion slammed into him. His breathing became heavy, and his legs wobbled as he dragged himself toward the front door.
The door opened before he could knock. David stood there, eyes full of concern.
"You okay? You look tired," David asked, scanning Adrian's condition.
"Oh—yeah," Adrian panted. "I used the Flash Step skill to come home… it drained my stamina really fast."
David froze, blinking in disbelief. "F–Flash Step? You… learned that already?"
Adrian nodded, still trying to catch his breath.
David let out a shocked laugh. "Wow! You must be getting stronger pretty fast!"
"I am… I think," Adrian replied, not fully sure if he believed it or not. He was proud, but also overwhelmed. Kenji's absence felt heavy.
David placed a hand on Adrian's shoulder. "Rest. Skills put a lot of pressure on the body. You'll get better at using it without getting exhausted."
Adrian nodded and headed inside. After eating dinner, he went straight to bed. He lied awake for a while, staring at the ceiling, thinking about Kenji's final words:
Don't make me regret teaching you.
Adrian closed his eyes, determination burning brighter than his exhaustion.
"I'll get strong," he whispered to himself. "Strong enough to make him proud."
Soon, sleep finally overtook him.