The First Strike

The blue screen still flickered in front of Ren's eyes, its glowing text burning into his vision.

> [SYSTEM ACTIVATED]

ANALYZING FIRST OPPONENT: KAITO

LAND A SUCCESSFUL HIT ON KAITO TO OBTAIN A SKILL.

Ren (thinking): A system? Just like those games and web novels? But why now? And why is it telling me to land a hit?

He didn't have time to process it. Kaito was already closing the distance, golden eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Kaito: "You still standing there? Come on, hit me."

Ren (thinking): Yeah, like that's gonna be easy.

Kaito's stance was relaxed, but his muscles were coiled, ready to counter any move Ren made. The crowd was silent, waiting for the inevitable.

Ren exhaled, shaking off the dizziness that still clung to him. His body ached from his earlier fights, but something inside him told him he had to move—now.

With a sudden burst of speed, he lunged forward, aiming a punch at Kaito's side.

Kaito barely moved. A subtle shift of his weight and he effortlessly dodged, smirking.

Kaito: "Too slow."

Before Ren could retract his fist, Kaito struck. A palm strike to his chest sent him stumbling back, the force knocking the air out of his lungs.

Ren (thinking): Damn... he's faster than he looks!

Kaito cracked his knuckles, stepping forward. "That all you got? I was hoping for more."

Ren steadied himself. His mind raced.

Ren (thinking): I need to catch him off guard. He expects me to fight straightforwardly, so I need to do something unpredictable.

Kaito smirked and dashed forward, throwing a lightning-fast punch toward Ren's face. This time, Ren reacted—not by dodging, but by collapsing his legs and falling to the ground on purpose.

Kaito's punch swiped just above his head, missing completely.

Ren twisted his body mid-fall and lashed out with his leg, aiming for Kaito's ribs. The unexpected move caught Kaito off guard.

THWACK!

His foot connected, sending Kaito skidding back a step.

The crowd gasped. Murmurs spread like wildfire.

Crowd Member 1: "Did he just... hit Kaito?!"

Crowd Member 2: "No way... that was a fluke, right?"

Kaito paused, placing a hand on his ribs. His golden eyes widened for a split second before narrowing in excitement.

Kaito: "Heh. That was interesting."

Ren barely had time to process his success before another notification appeared before him.

> SKILL ACQUIRED: [ADAPTIVE INSTINCT]

Analyzes opponents' movements in real time, improving reaction speed and counterattack potential.

Ren (thinking): Wait... what?!

But Kaito wasn't giving him time to celebrate. With a grin, he charged forward at full speed.

Kaito: "Alright, rookie. Now it's my turn."

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To Be Continued…!