Ryu looked at his status panel, and as he did…
His jaw dropped…
…
______
[Name: Ryu Takane
Age: 17
Height: 171.3 cm
Weight: 62.5 kg » 62.8 kg
Health: 38.3%
Stamina: 47%
Condition: Bandly injured and fatigued
Physicality: 0.8 » 0.9 » 1.1
Abilities;
-Overcome – Lvl MAX: ??????
-Pain Tolerance – Lvl 1 » 4: Increases the user’s ability to endure and remain functional while experiencing pain.
-Willpower – Lvl 1 » 5: Strengthens the user’s mental determination, allowing them to continue acting despite physical or mental strain.
-Enhanced Stamina – Lvl 1 » 4: Improves the user’s ability to sustain physical activity and resist fatigue.
-Bone Toughness – Lvl 1 » 2: Improves the durability of the user’s bones.
-Muslce Quality – Lvl 1: Improves the user’s muscle density and strength.
-Blunt Force Resistance – Lvl 1 » 3: Improves the user’s
-Recovery – Lvl 1: Improves the user’s natural recovery rate in all aspects.
-Combat Instincts – Lvl 1: Improves the user’s combat senses.]
______
…
‘How…
How the hell…’ Ryu wouldn’t believe what he was seeing.
The very same passives that hadn’t moved all week from training, jumped up by leaps, and bounds within a single fight!?
‘Ive gained four more skills on top of the three I had initially.’ He couldn’t believe the kind of progress he’s made from just a single fight…
‘Haha…’ He laughed, rejoicing at the news!
‘This has to mean that the Overcome skill is conditional!
I have to be fighting against someone for it to trigger!’ He understood that much guaranteed.
Looking at his status again, he could see another new part that had been created on his panel…
‘Physicality…?
Is this…
Supposed to be my strength?’ Ryu analyzed it for a bit, noticing that it had three different values.
Starting from 0.8, 0.9 and finally 1.1…
‘This damn system won’t even explain anything to me either…’ He huffed: ‘But, I’m guessing it has to be my physical capabilities summed up…?
Which means, I’ve gotten much stronger over these two fights…’ He reasoned.
Not only that, he had left with a much better condition than he was better…
‘That might just be due to that Recovery skill I got…
Still, I don’t feel as nearly as bad as I did last time.
Plus, my pain tolerance has obviously grown a bit too…’ He looked at its level that rose…
Despite feeling the pain, it’s become much more bearable than last time, paired with his willpower, the two skills had likely been superimposing on themselves as well, making the pain much more bearable…
Creak~
Ryu slowly got himself off the bed, wincing slightly as his feet touched the floor.
He still felt sore, but compared to the first time he’d ended up here, the difference was truly almost ridiculous…
He steadied himself before looking toward the nurse, saying: “I think I’ll head home.”
The nurse immediately turned toward him: “Hmm?
Are you sure?”
Ryu quickly nodded: “Yeah.
I’ll just take it easy.”
She gave him a skeptical look, clearly remembering the last time he’d said something similar, but eventually sighed: “Fine.
Just don’t overdo it.
You’ve already had enough excitement for one week.”
Ryu gave an awkward smile: “Right…”
He quickly grabbed his things, and made his way out of the nurse’s office.
…
By the time Ryu made it home, the first thought that came to mind was his sensei;
‘She’s definitely going to think I’m some kind of troublemaker.’ He deadpanned.
He sighed as he stepped through the entrance, taking off his shoes before placing his bag where it belonged: “I just got back to school…”
Ryu shook his head: “…And I already got beaten up again.”
It was almost embarrassing.
His status.
Ryu quickly made his way into the kitchen, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
He leaned against the table for a moment before bringing up the translucent screen again.
His eyes immediately went toward the abilities: ‘These…’
He still couldn’t believe what he was looking at…
The same abilities that had remained completely stagnant throughout his entire week of training, had suddenly jumped several levels in a single fight.
Not only that, he’d gained four entirely new abilities on top of them…
And then there was the strange Physicality section: ‘Why did this suddenly appear?’
Ryu stared at it;
[Physicality: 0.8 → 0.9 → 1.1]
He didn’t know what any of them represented, but the fact that they were increasing was enough to make him interested…
‘Is this supposed to represent my physical strength?’ He thought about it for a moment: ‘Maybe not just strength…’
Perhaps it represented his overall physical capabilities.
His strength, speed, durability, stamina, and everything else that made up his body…
If that was the case…
‘I’ve gotten considerably stronger.’ Relatively speaking.
That was something he could actually see now.
Before, he’d only been able to rely on how his body felt.
Now there was at least some indication that the changes he’d noticed weren’t simply in his head.
“Finally…” He leaned back in the chair: “I can actually see the difference.”
Ryu looked through the rest of the status panel again.
Pain Tolerance had reached Level 4.
Willpower was at Level 5.
Enhanced Stamina had reached Level 4.
Then there was Bone Toughness, Muscle Quality, Blunt Force Resistance, Recovery, and Combat Instincts;
‘That’s way more than last time…’ He rested his chin against his hand: ‘But why…?’
He began thinking back on the fight…
The first battle had been short.
He’d been overwhelmed almost immediately, gotten back up once, and then collapsed.
This time had been different.
Much different.
Hiroki had taken his time.
He’d toyed with Ryu.
He’d kept attacking him over and over, forcing him to endure far more punishment and pressure than he’d experienced during their first encounter…
‘Actually…
That’s the only real difference.’ Ryu’s eyes narrowed.
This fight had lasted much longer.
He’d effectively been given more time to adapt…
He’d been exposed to the same kind of overwhelming pressure repeatedly instead of being taken out almost immediately.
Then it hit him: “Hold on…”
Ryu sat upright: ‘Could it be that Overcome needs time?’
The thought made his heart beat faster.
It actually made sense…
If Overcome was truly an ability based around overcoming obstacles, then there had to be a certain amount of time required for his body to respond to whatever was challenging it.
During the first fight, he simply hadn’t been given enough time.
He was beaten down too quickly.
But during the second…
He’d kept going.
Every time Hiroki pushed him further, his body seemed to respond with something new;
Pain Tolerance.
Willpower.
Enhanced Stamina.
Bone Toughness.
Muscle Quality.
Blunt Force Resistance.
Recovery.
Combat Instincts…
Ryu stared at the list: “…That’s…
insane.” There was no better word to describe it.
The more he thought about it, the more everything seemed to line up;
‘If the obstacle is too much for me to overcome immediately, then I don’t have enough time to adapt.’
But if he could survive long enough: ‘Then Overcome keeps finding ways to compensate for what I’m lacking.’
That would explain why his abilities had progressed so dramatically…!
It wasn’t simply that he’d fought someone stronger.
He’d fought someone stronger for long enough.
And because he continued pushing himself, his body had continued changing in response to that need and outside stimulus…
‘So the longer I’m challenged…’ Ryu’s expression became somewhat serious: ‘…The more I can potentially grow?’
If that was the case, then this was an incredible discovery…
But then, he noticed something else.
His eyes moved toward his stamina…
[Stamina: 47%]
His excitement faded slightly: ‘It’s clear that there’s a catch here.’
Even with his newly Enhanced Stamina, his stamina had still been drained heavily during the fight.
He remembered how exhausted he’d become.
How his body had started struggling to keep up.
At least until his stamina just kind of grew…
And yet, whenever he reached what felt like his limit, that strange sensation had urged him forward as well…
Ryu made a complicated expression…
‘It’s almost like Overcome doesn’t care whether I actually survive.’ The thought sent a chill through him.
It wasn’t necessarily trying to protect him…
It was trying to make him overcome the obstacle by all means.
Giving him an unnatural drive to continue with his fight…
Those weren’t necessarily the same thing: ‘If my body can’t handle it, then what?’
He looked at his hands: ‘Does it just keep pushing until something breaks?’ Thankfully, the skill had a limit, being when he was knocked out cold, he would stop.
Still…
The possibility was a little unsettling.
It almost felt as if he was burning through himself just to keep going.
Not literally burning his life away, perhaps, but there was definitely a cost…
One thing he had noticed was that his stamina had plummeted.
At an unnaturally fast rate during his bout.
It was better than the first fight, but it was terrible in hindsight…
Of course, his body had been pushed to an absurd degree.
And while his recovery was now better than last time, he still ended up unconscious.
Which just shows how rediculously powerful Hiroki was…
‘At least it’s not as bad as the first fight…’ Ryu sighed;
‘But it’s still super dangerous.’
He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.
He’d wanted a way to become stronger.
He truly wanted to understand his ability…
Now he had the beginning of an answer.
And somehow, it was both exciting and terrifying.
Ryu looked back at his status…
[Overcome – Lvl (MAX): ??????]
…
“…You’re one hell of an ability.” There was still so much he didn’t know.
How powerful could it make him?
What were the limits of the abilities it could grant him…?
But at least now, he had a theory.
Overcome wasn’t simply giving him power.
It had its cost.
Being that he had to risk his own life to earn a greater level of strength.
In a controlled environment, it’s incredible powerful for growth.
But he wasn’t in a controlled environment…
If his opponent was too strong, he’d just lose before he could adapt, likely dying in the process…
It was clearly a power centered around adapting and surpassing, a perceived threat.
The greater the challenge he faces, the more his body seemed to compensate.
And if that was really how it worked…
Ryu couldn’t help but smile: “Heh…”
He clenched his fist: “I guess I just have to learn how to use it without killing myself in the process…”
That would probably be important.
Very important…
.
.
.
End