Kenji ignored them. He stared at the gym floor, his breathing stabilizing faster than normal thanks to the Adrenaline Regulation buffer.
This was no placebo. This was no luck.
The game had humiliated him, tortured him, and killed him twelve times. And in exchange, it had rebuilt the foundation of his body, point by point. It had analyzed his weakness and repaired it with micro-doses of Strength.
He had found a way to achieve the impossible: he had converted his failure into tangible, real-world power.
Kenji stood up. His muscles were tired, but his mind was clear and focused. The faint smile that touched his lips was cold and determined. He was no longer just the weak student. He was a player.
He looked forward to the next time Takuya tried to humiliate him. And he looked forward to the next death he would have to face in the Apex Protocol.
The grind had begun.