Learn to fight

Chapter 10

Ronan leaned against the cold metal wall, catching his breath as his pulse gradually slowed. His muscles still trembled from the lingering rush of power, but his mind felt clearer now. The weight of what he'd just done settled over him, and he couldn't quite shake the sick feeling churning in his stomach.

Nathaniel's smug expression hadn't changed. "Well, that was entertaining. You've got potential, Ronan. Try not to waste it." With that, he gave a casual wave to Jordan, the frail man who had tested Ronan earlier.

Jordan nodded once, then approached Ronan, his cold demeanor still firmly in place. "Come with me," he ordered, turning sharply without waiting for a response.

Ronan hesitated before following, his thoughts still tangled from the fight. He glanced back at the prisoners' bodies—one dead, one unconscious, and one still whimpering on his knees. He didn't feel any pity for them. They had been killers, set to be executed anyway. Yet the way he'd felt in that moment—the sheer, unyielding urge to kill—made his skin crawl.

He followed Jordan out of the arena, past the gates that had now lowered back into the ground. They moved through a maze of corridors until they reached a spacious room with dim lighting and worn leather couches arranged haphazardly around a low table.

Six people were scattered around the room, each looking up as they entered. Conversations halted, and curious eyes fixed on Ronan. Jordan stopped in the center, arms folded, his face impassive.

"This is the new recruit," he announced flatly. "Ronan Vale. You'll be working with him from now on."

One of the guys—tall and lean with messy auburn hair—grinned and gave a lazy salute. "Nice to meet ya, newbie. Name's Theo. I'm twenty-four."

Next to him, a short, stocky girl with dark curls smirked. "You look like you've been through hell. I'm Casey. Twenty-six. Don't worry, we're not all as much of a hardass as Jordan." She shot Jordan a pointed look, which he ignored.

A guy leaning against the wall raised a hand in greeting. He had dark skin and a muscular build, his eyes sharp and observant. "Devon. Thirty-one. I'm usually the one covering your ass if you mess up."

Ronan gave a curt nod, unsure how to respond. The tension in his chest loosened just a little at their casual introductions.

A petite blonde girl with glasses gave a quick, shy smile. "I'm Mira. Twenty-two. Medic and support. Don't die on me, okay?"

Next was a lanky guy sprawled over one of the couches, flipping a knife between his fingers with practiced ease. He didn't look up, just muttered, "Hale. Twenty-eight. Try not to slow us down."

The last one was a tall woman with a confident stance, her long black hair tied back. Her eyes were piercing and unflinching as they met his. "Diana. Thirty. I'm second in command. Follow orders, and you'll be fine."

Ronan swallowed the knot in his throat and forced his voice to sound steady. "Ronan Vale, twenty-nine."

There was a moment of quiet where the others seemed to size him up, though none of them appeared hostile—just curious. Casey gave him a thumbs-up. "You look like you've been through the wringer already. Don't worry, Jordan likes to throw people to the wolves on their first day. Consider it your initiation."

Ronan glanced at Jordan, who still looked as stone-faced as ever. "Initiation, huh?" he muttered under his breath.

Jordan's eyes hardened. "I don't care if your system activates only when you're in danger, but if you're powerless without it, then you don't deserve to be here. If you want to earn respect from your teammates, you must learn to fight without relying on your system. Until you've proven that, you won't be allowed on missions."

The room fell silent, and the weight of Jordan's words pressed down on Ronan like a suffocating blanket. His jaw tightened. "What do you mean by that?"

Jordan didn't blink. "It means you're a liability if your power only kicks in when you're about to die. Relying on a system without basic combat skills is reckless. You'll be dead before you know it—and take others down with you."

Ronan wanted to snap back, but he couldn't. The truth was too blunt to ignore. Without his system, he was just an average guy who'd barely made it through that fight earlier. His fists clenched at his sides.

Nathaniel suddenly stepped into the room, his presence pulling everyone's attention. He looked at Ronan with an amused glint in his eye. "It's true. A fighter who can't control his power is a liability. So, you'll train with Jordan and Diana until they say you're ready. Think of it as... catching up to the rest."

Jordan gave a curt nod. "Starting tomorrow at dawn. Be prepared. I'm not holding back just because you're new."

Ronan gritted his teeth but gave a stiff nod. "Understood."

As the tension in the room eased, Theo approached and patted Ronan's shoulder. "Don't let him scare you too much. Jordan's all bark... well, mostly bark. You'll get used to it."

Casey shot him a playful grin. "And if you don't, well... we'll be around to pick up the pieces."

A reluctant smirk tugged at Ronan's lips. Despite Jordan's harshness, the others seemed oddly welcoming. He hadn't expected that after the brutal introduction earlier.

Nathaniel gave a final look at Ronan, the smirk never leaving his face. "Prove yourself. That's all you need to do." Then he turned on his heel and left, his footsteps fading down the hall.

Once he was gone, the atmosphere relaxed considerably. Mira stepped closer, giving Ronan a sympathetic smile. "You'll be fine. We all went through something similar. Jordan just has high expectations."

Hale snorted from his spot on the couch. "More like impossible expectations."

Diana shot him a glare, and he shrugged, not bothering to elaborate.

Ronan forced himself to take a breath, the adrenaline finally wearing off. "So... what now?"

Devon gave him a calm look. "You rest. Tomorrow, Jordan's gonna break you down and see if you're worth building back up. Get some sleep while you can."

Ronan nodded, his body aching from the earlier fight. He didn't know if he'd impressed anyone today or just made himself look like a fool. Either way, there was no backing out now.

As he sank into one of the empty couches, Theo plopped down next to him, casually tossing a can of soda into his lap. "Trust me, man. Surviving Jordan's training is worse than surviving an actual mission. But if you pull it off, you'll be stronger than you ever thought possible."

Ronan managed a tired smile and cracked open the can. "Looking forward to it... I think."

Casey gave him a wicked grin. "Oh, you're not. But hey, at least you've got us to cheer you on."

Ronan just nodded, grateful that, despite the rough start, his new teammates didn't seem half bad. Maybe—just maybe—he could survive this.

As the chatter picked up again, Ronan allowed himself to relax. Tomorrow was going to be hell, but he wasn't the type to back down from a challenge. If learning to fight without his system was what it took, he'd do it—no matter how long it took.

He couldn't afford to be weak anymore. Not after everything that had happened. Not after facing death and coming back.

One way or another, he'd prove he belonged here.