Chapter 7 – Strength in Isolation

Kael stood alone in the ruined district, a forgotten corner of the city where even the desperate dared not tread. Crumbling buildings, hollowed by time and war, surrounded him like the remains of a battlefield. Here, there were no eyes watching, no whispers of the Divine Order. It was the perfect place to rebuild himself.

His body still bore the bruises from his underground fights, reminders that his past strength was nothing more than a shadow. He had skill, experience—but his raw power was lacking. If he wanted to survive what was coming, that had to change.

Kael started with the basics—strength, endurance, speed. No magic, no weapons, just his body against the elements. He ran for hours, pushed his body to exhaustion, then forced himself further. He struck at broken pillars, using them as makeshift training dummies, refining every movement until his muscles burned.

No shortcuts. No easy way out.

Each night, he collapsed onto the cold stone, body aching, breath ragged. And yet, the next morning, he stood again.

But something gnawed at him. His system—silent since his return. No guidance, no status screens, no sudden bursts of power. He didn't understand how it worked.

If I wait for the system to save me, I'll die before I understand it.

That left only one option—become strong enough on his own.

Days passed. His movements became sharper, his footwork faster. He incorporated techniques from his past life—unorthodox counters, brutal takedowns, the killing methods of an elite knight. He fought against the air, against exhaustion, against the doubts whispering in his mind.

Yet, training alone had limits. He needed real opponents.

And there was only one place to find them.

Kael exhaled, wrapping his cloak around himself. His training had reached its peak here. It was time to return to the underground arena—this time, not for money, but to hone his instincts in real combat.