It was on a dreary Wednesday afternoon that everything began to change.
The rain was falling hard that day, a relentless drizzle that blanketed the city in a wet, grey fog.
Eiji had just finished school, and instead of heading home, he decided to visit the old gym on the outskirts of town.
The gym had been abandoned for years, its rusting metal gate barely standing upright, and the cracked windows were a constant reminder of how far it had fallen from its glory days.
But it was quiet, empty, and it was the only place where Eiji could get some real training without worrying about the eyes of others.
He entered the gym, feeling the familiar coldness of the place settle around him.
The wooden floorboards creaked as he moved through the space, and the smell of old leather and sweat filled the air.
The punching bags hung like forgotten ghosts, their once tight fabric now sagging with age.
Eiji made his way to the far corner, where a set of worn-out mats lay untouched.
Today, he wasn't just here to practice his usual routine.
Eiji had been feeling restless, the desire to push himself harder, to break through his own limitations, gnawing at him more than usual.
He stood at the center of the mat, closed his eyes, and let his mind settle into a state of focus.
For a few moments, everything was still. The only sound was the rhythmic patter of rain on the roof.
And then, as if by instinct, his body moved.
A jab, a cross, a hook,Eiji flowed through the combinations he had practiced countless times, his limbs moving with the fluidity of someone who had long since ingrained the movements into muscle memory.
The sweat began to bead on his forehead as he picked up the pace. He imagined an opponent in front of him, moving, countering.
He didn't just throw punches; he thought of how he would dodge, how he would slip under an incoming strike.
He wanted to be like the fighters he'd seen on video,swift, precise, and devastating.
But no matter how hard he tried, no matter how many hours he poured into his training, Eiji always hit a wall.
He could never close the gap between what he imagined in his mind and what his body was capable of.
His movements were sharp, but lacked power.
His technique was clean, but lacked speed.
He knew that he was nowhere near the level he wanted to be.
And yet, there was a burning drive in his chest that refused to let him stop.
With a deep breath, Eiji dropped into a low stance, preparing to launch into a roundhouse kick.
He spun, his foot slicing through the air,only to suddenly lose his balance.
With a loud crash, he fell to the ground, his arm slamming against the mat. Groaning, he pushed himself up, brushing off the dust.
"Great," he muttered under his breath. "Another failed attempt."
As he sat there, rubbing his shoulder, Eiji's eyes wandered toward the far corner of the gym.
There, half-hidden behind an old wooden bench, something caught his attention.
It was a small, rectangular object, black with strange markings etched into its surface.
At first, he thought it was just a piece of debris, but there was something about it that made him pause.
Curiosity piqued, Eiji stood up and approached the object.
It was cold to the touch, the surface smooth, but the markings,ancient-looking symbols,gave it an aura of mystery.
His fingers brushed the surface, and immediately, a sharp sensation ran through his body, like a jolt of electricity.
Eiji recoiled in shock, but the object didn't let go of his hand.
For a moment, the world seemed to blur around him, as if the air itself was shifting.
His vision darkened, and he felt himself sinking into an abyss.
It wasn't a feeling of falling, more like being pulled into something.
He tried to let go, but his hand remained locked to the object, his muscles stiff and unresponsive.
Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the sensation ceased.
Eiji's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the floor.
The object in his hand slipped from his grip and clattered to the ground.
He lay there for several seconds, trying to catch his breath, his heart pounding in his chest.
"What the hell was that?" he muttered, trying to steady himself. But as he looked around, the gym seemed... different.
The walls were still the same, the mats still the same, but the air felt charged, almost electric.
The faint hum of energy seemed to fill the room, vibrating just beneath the surface.
Suddenly, a voice,low and steady,echoed in his mind.
"System initialized. Welcome, Host."
Eiji froze, his heart skipping a beat.
He blinked, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. His head felt heavy, and his senses were disoriented.
Was he hallucinating? Had the fall knocked him unconscious?
The voice continued, "You have been chosen. The Martial System is now active. Your journey begins."
A flood of information rushed into his mind, overwhelming him.
Eiji grabbed his head, trying to block out the sensation, but it was futile.
The voice wasn't just speaking,it was integrating with his thoughts, connecting with his consciousness.
[System Status: Active]
[Current abilities: Basic Martial Arts. Power Level: 1. ]
[Training required to enhance attributes. Complete tasks and challenges to gain points. Spend points to increase strength, agility, and martial knowledge.]
Eiji's mind raced.
This couldn't be real.
A system? Like something out of a video game? But as the words echoed in his mind, the strange, pulsing energy surrounding him seemed to solidify the truth,something had changed.
He wasn't imagining it.
Before he could process further, a small notification appeared in his vision, glowing faintly.
[Mission: Perform 30 minutes of shadowboxing. Reward: +1 Strength, +1 Agility.]
"Shadowboxing?" Eiji whispered to himself, confused but intrigued. This had to be some kind of dream, right?
But the voice spoke again, calm and insistent. "Complete the mission to begin your journey. The path to greatness is open."
Without knowing what else to do, Eiji decided to follow the command. He stood up, his legs shaky from the strange experience, and moved to the center of the mat.
As he started throwing punches and practicing his footwork, he could feel something change.
His body seemed to move with more fluidity, more purpose.
The movements felt smoother, faster, more controlled.
It wasn't just his imagination,he was improving in real-time.
For the first time in years, Eiji felt like something inside him was unlocking.
And in that moment, he knew that his life was never going to be the same again.