CHAPTER 11 — THE COST OF NOT RUNNING
Daniel Park felt it the next morning.
The looks.
They weren't curious anymore. They weren't amused.
They were measuring him.
Word spread fast at J High. Faster than rumors. Faster than fear. The hallway fight hadn't gone unnoticed, and the fact that Daniel survived it without breaking made people uncomfortable.
Weak people were predictable.
Daniel wasn't anymore.
He kept his head down as he walked to class, but his posture was different. Straight. Guarded. Aware of every movement around him.
The system stayed quiet.
That worried him more than alerts ever did.
It happened after school.
Daniel was heading toward the lockers when he heard a sharp voice behind him.
"Hey."
He turned.
A first-year stood there. Small frame. Bruised knuckles. Fear barely hidden behind anger.
"They said you could help," the kid said.
Daniel frowned. "Help with what?"
Before the kid could answer, footsteps echoed from the stairwell.
Four older students emerged.
Not rushed.
Not loud.
Confident.
Daniel's stomach tightened.
The first-year stiffened. "They followed me…"
Daniel understood immediately.
This wasn't about him.
It was about sending a message.
The system flickered.
[SYSTEM STATUS]
Emergency Mission: AVAILABLE
Trigger Condition: Ally in Danger
User Choice Required
Daniel didn't hesitate.
He stepped forward, putting himself between the kid and the others.
"Leave him alone," Daniel said.
One of the older boys smiled. "You volunteering?"
Daniel raised his hands.
Guard up.
Breathing steady.
The system activated.
[EMERGENCY MISSION ACCEPTED]
Objective:
Protect ally and disengage
Reward:
• Skill Upgrade (Defensive)
• Potential Increase (Minor)
Penalty:
• Severe Injury Risk
The first punch came fast.
Daniel blocked high, forearms absorbing the blow. Pain exploded through his arms, but he stayed upright.
The second attacker tried to circle.
Daniel shifted sideways, keeping them in front of him.
"Don't freeze," he muttered to himself.
A kick came low.
Daniel checked it with his shin, pain shooting upward. He grimaced but pushed forward, shoving the attacker back just enough to disrupt formation.
The third attacker rushed in recklessly.
Daniel sidestepped and slammed his shoulder into the guy's chest, knocking him off balance.
He didn't follow.
He backed up immediately.
The first-year stared in shock.
"Run," Daniel shouted.
The kid hesitated.
"Now!"
The kid ran.
The attackers growled.
"You chose wrong," one of them said.
They pressed harder.
Daniel's breathing grew heavier. His arms felt like lead. A punch slipped through and smashed into his ribs.
Pain flared white-hot.
Daniel staggered but didn't fall.
He clenched his jaw.
Last. Longer.
He used the wall again. Limited angles. Redirected instead of blocking fully. Every movement was about seconds.
Then the whistle blew.
A teacher's voice echoed from down the hall.
"HEY!"
The attackers scattered instantly.
Daniel slid down the wall, gasping.
The system updated.
[MISSION COMPLETE]
Ally Protected
Damage Taken: Moderate
Rewards:
• Basic Self-Defense → Level 5
• New Passive: Pain Tolerance (Low)
• Potential Increase (Minor)
Daniel laughed weakly.
"So… this is the cost," he whispered.
Later that evening, Daniel sat alone on the rooftop.
His ribs throbbed. His arms shook.
Zack appeared beside him without warning.
"You're an idiot," Zack said flatly.
Daniel smiled faintly. "I know."
Zack stared at the sunset. "You didn't have to step in."
Daniel shook his head. "Yes, I did."
Zack didn't argue.
"That kid will remember," Zack said after a moment. "So will everyone else."
The system logged silently.
[REPUTATION UPDATE]
Status:
• Known as Resilient
• Targeted by Hostiles
• Not Ignored
Daniel closed his eyes.
He wasn't strong.
Not yet.
But he had crossed a line he couldn't uncross.
And at J High—
That meant everything.
CHAPTER 12 — NO ONE COMES THIS TIME
Daniel Park didn't notice he was being followed.
That was the problem.
The footsteps were light. Controlled. Someone who knew how to move without drawing attention. By the time Daniel sensed it, the distance was already closed.
The shove sent him into the storage room.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Darkness.
"Relax," a calm voice said. "I just want to see something."
Daniel rolled to his feet, back to the wall, hands up. The storage room smelled of dust and metal. Narrow. No windows.
Bad space.
The lights flickered on.
One opponent stood in front of him.
Tall. Lean. Calm eyes.
No wasted movement.
"You're the one who keeps standing back up," the boy said. "I wanted to see why."
Daniel didn't answer.
The system activated immediately.
[SYSTEM STATUS]
Threat Level: High
Emergency: NOT AUTHORIZED
Opponent Profile: Unreadable
Recommendation:
• Observe first exchange
• Preserve stamina
The opponent stepped in without warning.
A straight punch.
Daniel blocked, but the impact still rattled his bones. The strike was clean. Precise.
Daniel countered with a shove, but the opponent pivoted smoothly and slipped past it.
Too smooth.
A knee slammed into Daniel's thigh.
Pain flared.
Daniel gritted his teeth and backed up, refusing to panic.
The opponent tilted his head. "You don't swing much."
"I don't need to," Daniel replied.
Another punch came, followed by a feint.
Daniel reacted a fraction too late.
The punch slipped through and struck his shoulder.
Daniel stumbled.
The system stayed silent.
No help.
No shortcuts.
Daniel adjusted.
He lowered his center of gravity, widened his stance. He stopped blocking fully and began redirecting, letting blows slide past his guard instead of meeting them head-on.
The opponent noticed.
"Better," he said.
He pressed harder.
A flurry of strikes followed. Daniel absorbed some, redirected others, and retreated step by step. His back hit the shelf.
No more space.
The opponent moved in for the finish.
Daniel acted.
He stepped inside the punch instead of away from it.
Pain exploded in his forearms as he jammed the strike, but he shoved forward with everything he had.
The opponent lost balance for half a second.
That was enough.
Daniel slammed his shoulder into the opponent's chest and drove him backward into the metal rack. The shelves rattled violently.
Both of them froze.
Breathing hard.
The opponent smiled. "There it is."
He stepped back.
"Fight's over," he said calmly. "You passed."
Daniel stared. "Passed what?"
The opponent shrugged. "Not quitting."
He opened the door and walked out like nothing happened.
Daniel slid down the wall, heart hammering.
The system updated.
[COMBAT ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
Opponent: Superior Technique
Outcome: Survival Through Adaptation
Skill Progress:
Basic Self-Defense → Level 6
New Passive:
• Combat Reading (Low)
Daniel laughed quietly.
No victory.
No applause.
Just growth.
That evening, Vasco found him in the courtyard.
"You fought alone," Vasco said.
Daniel nodded.
Vasco smiled proudly. "Good."
The system logged.
[MENTAL TRAIT STRENGTHENED]
Resolve Increased
Daniel looked up at the darkening sky.
No one came.
And somehow—
That made him stronger.
CHAPTER 13 — WHEN IT TURNS INTO WAR
J High didn't feel like a school anymore.
It felt like territory.
Daniel sensed it the moment he walked through the gate. Groups stood closer together. Conversations stopped when certain people passed. Teachers were present, but not enough. Never enough.
Burn Knuckles were being tested.
Hard.
Daniel spotted Vasco near the courtyard, surrounded by his people. Their expressions were serious. No jokes. No loud voices.
"This isn't random," Vasco said. "They're probing us."
Zack stood nearby, arms crossed. "They're organizing."
Daniel swallowed.
The system flickered.
[SYSTEM STATUS]
Environment: Hostile
Conflict Scale: Escalating
Recommendation:
• Avoid isolation
• Expect multi-opponent engagement
The warning came too late.
A shout echoed from the far side of campus.
Then another.
Then screaming.
Daniel turned just in time to see it.
Burn Knuckles members were being jumped near the bike racks. Not one-on-one. Five-on-two. Coordinated. Brutal.
Vasco moved instantly.
"MOVE!"
Daniel ran with them.
The moment they arrived, chaos exploded.
Daniel barely had time to raise his guard before a punch slammed into his forearm. Pain shot up his arm, but he stayed upright.
This wasn't controlled.
This was messy.
A second attacker rushed him.
Daniel sidestepped and shoved him away, but another grabbed his shoulder from behind.
Daniel reacted without thinking.
He dropped his weight and twisted, ripping free as he slammed his elbow backward. It wasn't clean. It wasn't pretty.
But it worked.
Someone went down.
Daniel didn't look.
He couldn't afford to.
The system stayed active, feeding him awareness without instructions.
Movement left.
Threat right.
Back clear. For now.
Vasco was everywhere.
Each punch he threw dropped someone. He didn't shout. He didn't hesitate.
Zack carved through the crowd with precision, dismantling anyone who came close.
Daniel stayed near Burn Knuckles members who were struggling. He blocked strikes aimed at them, shoved attackers away, bought seconds.
Seconds mattered.
A larger opponent charged Daniel head-on.
No feints.
Just power.
Daniel braced and redirected the charge, stepping aside and shoving the attacker's shoulder. The man stumbled forward and crashed into another fighter.
Daniel backed off immediately.
Then a punch caught him in the stomach.
Air vanished from his lungs.
Daniel dropped to one knee.
The system flared.
[SYSTEM STATUS]
Sustained Combat Detected
Emergency: LOCKED
Adaptation Required
Daniel forced himself up.
Pain screamed through his body.
He raised his guard again.
Not to win.
To endure.
Burn Knuckles pushed back together.
Slowly.
Relentlessly.
The attackers began to retreat.
Sirens wailed in the distance.
Again.
When it was over, the ground was littered with bruised bodies and broken pride.
Daniel leaned against a wall, shaking.
Vasco approached him, eyes sharp. "You good?"
Daniel nodded. Barely.
"You didn't chase," Vasco said. "You protected."
Zack glanced at Daniel. "That's harder."
The system updated.
[CONFLICT RESOLUTION LOG]
Combat Type: Group Warfare
Role: Support / Disruption
Skill Progress:
Basic Self-Defense → Level 6 (83%)
New Passive:
• Crowd Awareness (Low)
Reputation Update:
• Recognized by Burn Knuckles
• Marked by Opposing Factions
Daniel closed his eyes.
This wasn't about surviving fights anymore.
This was about choosing sides.
And the war had already started.
CHAPTER 14 — NO RULES AFTER DARK
The first mistake was thinking school was the battlefield.
Daniel learned that the hard way.
Night swallowed the streets near J High. Neon lights flickered. Shops closed early. The usual noise of traffic faded into something thinner, more dangerous.
Daniel was halfway home when the feeling hit him.
Eyes.
He slowed.
Footsteps matched his pace.
He turned a corner.
Three shadows peeled off the wall.
Not students.
Older.
Built.
Street fighters.
"Wrong turn, kid," one of them said.
Daniel's heart sank.
No teachers.
No sirens.
No rules.
The system activated instantly.
[SYSTEM STATUS]
Environment: Civilian Area
Threat Level: Severe
Emergency: AUTHORIZED
[EMERGENCY MISSION ACCEPTED]
Objective:
Survive and disengage
Reward:
• Skill Advancement
• Potential Increase (Moderate)
Failure:
• Critical Injury Risk
Daniel raised his hands.
"Not interested," Daniel said.
One of them laughed. "We are."
They came at him together.
Daniel moved first.
He sprinted toward the narrow alley to his left. Tight space. Limited angles. He forced them to follow instead of surrounding him.
Good.
The first attacker swung wildly.
Daniel blocked and shoved him into the wall. The man grunted but didn't go down.
A kick slammed into Daniel's thigh.
Pain exploded.
Daniel staggered but stayed upright.
The system pushed awareness into overdrive.
Movement behind.
Hands reaching.
Wall close.
Daniel ducked and rolled forward, scraping his shoulder against concrete. He came up just in time to redirect another punch.
He didn't counter.
He couldn't afford it.
A fist smashed into his ribs.
Daniel gasped.
He slammed his shoulder forward, ramming the attacker and forcing space. He bolted past them and ran.
Footsteps thundered behind him.
One caught up and grabbed his bag strap.
Daniel twisted, yanked the strap off his shoulder, and let the bag go.
He shoved the attacker away and sprinted again.
Pain burned through his lungs.
A second attacker tackled him.
They hit the ground hard.
Daniel reacted instantly.
He planted his feet against the wall and kicked backward, breaking the grip. He rolled away and scrambled up.
A punch clipped his jaw.
Stars burst across his vision.
Daniel forced himself to focus.
Endure.
He ducked under another swing, slammed both palms into the attacker's chest, and shoved him into the alley entrance.
Sirens.
Distant. But real.
The attackers froze.
"Tch," one muttered.
They backed off and disappeared into the shadows.
Daniel collapsed against the wall, shaking violently.
The system updated.
[EMERGENCY MISSION COMPLETE]
Outcome: Survival
Damage Taken: High
Rewards:
• Basic Self-Defense → Level 7
• New Passive: Pain Resistance (Low)
• Potential Increase (Moderate)
Daniel slid down the wall, laughing weakly.
"So… this is war now," he whispered.
The next day, Burn Knuckles met.
Vasco's jaw was tight.
"They came after us outside school," Vasco said. "That crosses the line."
Zack cracked his knuckles. "Then we end it."
Daniel listened silently.
The system logged.
[LONG-TERM CONFLICT FLAGGED]
Future Events:
• Organized Confrontation
• High-Risk Engagements
Daniel clenched his fists.
School was over.
This wasn't.
CHAPTER 15 — WHEN YOU HIT BACK
Burn Knuckles didn't meet at school.
They met under the bridge near the old warehouses, where the city forgot itself and the lights barely reached the ground. The air smelled like rust and oil. Footsteps echoed too loudly. Every sound mattered.
Daniel stood slightly behind Vasco, hoodie pulled tight, ribs still aching from the night before.
No one joked.
No one smiled.
"They attacked outside," Vasco said quietly. "That means they don't care who gets hurt anymore."
Zack looked around the group. "So we finish it. Clean."
Daniel swallowed.
The system activated, calm and precise.
[SYSTEM STATUS]
Conflict Type: Organized Engagement
Threat Level: Extreme
Emergency: LOCKED
Boosters: AVAILABLE (Manual Activation Only)
Daniel didn't touch the boosters.
Not yet.
Footsteps approached from the far end of the underpass.
Five figures emerged.
The same men from last night.
Plus one more.
He was different.
Calm posture. Hands loose. Eyes sharp.
Leader.
"So this is Burn Knuckles," the man said. "Cute."
Vasco stepped forward. "You crossed the line."
The leader smiled. "You drew it."
Then he moved.
Everything exploded at once.
Zack charged first, dropping one man instantly with a clean strike to the jaw. Vasco followed, fists like hammers, driving two attackers backward.
Daniel stayed back.
Not hiding.
Waiting.
One of the street fighters peeled off and rushed him.
Daniel raised his guard.
The punch came straight.
Daniel redirected it and stepped in, slamming his shoulder into the attacker's chest. The man stumbled.
Daniel didn't hesitate.
He swept the man's leg and shoved him down hard.
First clean takedown.
The system logged silently.
[COMBAT EFFICIENCY INCREASED]
Another attacker came at him.
This one was smarter.
He feinted high and kicked low.
Daniel caught it too late.
Pain shot through his shin.
Daniel hissed but stayed upright.
He backed away, circling, eyes locked.
The attacker rushed again.
Daniel stepped inside the punch, jammed the arm, and shoved the man into a concrete pillar.
Crack.
The man dropped.
Daniel's breathing was heavy now.
His arms shook.
Then the leader stood in front of him.
"You're improving fast," the man said calmly. "Let's see how far it goes."
Daniel's guard tightened.
The leader attacked with sharp, controlled strikes. No wasted movement. Every hit aimed to break balance, not knock out.
Daniel blocked. Redirected. Endured.
A punch slipped through and smashed his cheek.
Daniel staggered.
The leader pressed.
Daniel's back hit the railing.
No space.
The system pulsed.
[BOOSTER AVAILABLE]
Daniel made the decision.
[10× TRAINING EFFICIENCY BOOST — ACTIVE (24 HOURS)]
Everything sharpened.
Movement slowed.
Daniel saw the opening.
He redirected the next punch, stepped inside, and shoved upward, breaking the leader's posture. He followed with a hard push that sent the man stumbling back.
Not victory.
But control.
The leader laughed softly. "Interesting."
Before he could recover—
Vasco slammed into him from the side.
The fight ended brutally.
Silence followed.
Sirens echoed faintly in the distance.
Burn Knuckles stood breathing hard.
Zack looked at Daniel. "You held your ground."
The system updated.
[MAJOR CONFLICT RESOLVED]
Results:
• Basic Self-Defense → Level 8
• Combat Reading → Level 2
• Potential Increased (Noticeable)
Reputation Update:
• Recognized as Core Combatant
Daniel stared at his hands.
They were shaking.
But not from fear.
This arc was over.
And something worse was waiting.