The air was cold before sunrise. A dry wind slipped between the trees outside the training compound, carrying the scent of dust and dew. Within the dorm corridors, all was silent—except for the soft tap tap tap of bare feet against the stone floor.
Kael moved quietly, already dressed in his training gear. The usual 4 a.m. haze lingered in his mind, but his body had grown used to the rhythm. Muscle memory had taken over. He stepped into the early dawn light stretching across the field just as a faint chime echoed in his mind.
[Good morning, Kael.]
[Training Protocol: Week 2 – Session 4]
[Objective: 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups, 2-mile run]
He exhaled and nodded.
"Let's get it over with."
But just as he reached the outer track, voices drifted in from the treeline near the dorms.
"…He's always out here early. Alone."
"That Blank thinks he's special now. I say we remind him."
Kael froze.
It was them. Torrin's group. The same arrogant sneers, the same threats barely hidden behind laughter. Their voices weren't shouting—just low and sharp, like the click of a blade being drawn behind someone's back.
[Warning: Potential Threat Detected Nearby]
Kael tensed, eyes narrowing.
"Should I confront them?" he muttered under his breath.
[Optional Quest Unlocked]
Bonus Objective: Complete your morning routine without engaging.
Reward: Level Advancement
"So… you want me to avoid them?"
[Precisely. Let's test discipline over retaliation.]
Kael swallowed hard and turned away from the voices, slipping down the side path toward the lower forest trail instead of his usual route.
The Stealth Run
The path was rough, the terrain uneven, but Kael moved with precision. Every step felt like threading a needle — no twigs snapped, no leaves crunched beneath his feet.
He dropped to the ground to begin his push-ups beneath a low canopy of hanging branches. The damp earth pressed against his palms.
One.
Two.
Three…
Every rep brought back a whisper of the past week — the training, the mimicry flickers, the quiet strength growing in his limbs. The system wasn't just helping him grow. It was helping him think.
He shifted to sit-ups, breathing in rhythm, watching the dark sky turn a soft shade of orange.
Then the run.
Instead of following the outer track, he darted through the shadows behind the dorms, looping wide toward the mess hall and then circling back toward the eastern cliff line, where the sunrise blazed over the horizon.
His footsteps were soft. His breath controlled. He saw the silhouettes of the bullies searching the upper field, too slow and too loud to find him.
Return and Reward
As Kael crossed the invisible finish line behind the training field—sweat dripping from his brow, heart steady—his HUD lit up.
[Nether Code Interface – Update]
Objective Complete:
✔ Push-ups
✔ Sit-ups
✔ Full Run
Bonus Objective:
✔ Avoided Conflict
✔ Maintained Stealth
✔ Full Routine Completed
+25 EXP Earned
Level Up Unlocked
[Level 2 Achieved]
New Stat Increases:
Health: +2 Matter: +3 Reflex: +1
Feature Unlocked:
"Focus Point" System — Next Quest path available.
Cognitive Tracking Upgraded — Reflexive response time increased slightly.
New Training Modes available under: Personal Simulation Room (if granted access).
Kael stopped beneath the morning sun, chest heaving slightly. He opened his hand and stared at the faint warmth still tingling in his fingers. The mimicry fire wasn't present now—but something deeper was. Awareness. Clarity.
"I didn't punch. I didn't run. I chose."
"Congratulations," Nathan said quietly in his mind.
"Many rise through conflict. Few rise by restraint."
Kael gave the slightest smile.
Today… he'd earned something.
Not because he fought.
But because he didn't.