The Fist Guide – Lùdi Shui
In unconsciousness, all was silent.
Katie floated in a black void, her mind lost between fatigue and confusion. Yet, a clear and steady voice pierced through the darkness.
— "You didn't fall because you were weak, but because you misused what was given to you."
A soft light emerged, revealing a tall male figure. He wore a long dark coat, his face serene yet firm.
— "Who… who are you?" Katie asked, slightly defensive.
— "I am Lùdi Shui. A former system user, just like you."
Katie squinted.
— "Former? Wait, what does that mean?"
Lùdi Shui crossed his arms.
— "That's not important right now. What matters is that you finally understand how to fight properly."
Katie frowned.
— "I already know how to fight. I've done martial arts for years, I've won competitions—"
Lùdi Shui cut her off calmly.
— "It wasn't your body that failed today. It was your mind."
The environment around them changed, transforming into a vast wooden dojo under a starry sky. Katie's gauntlets and greaves appeared on her arms and legs.
— "You see them?" Lùdi Shui asked. "You think you know them, but you're just enduring them."
Katie clenched her fists.
— "I still used them well. I beat that damn zombie."
With a snap of his fingers, the shadow of the golden zombie she had fought appeared before her. Katie instinctively stepped back at the sight of her former opponent roaring, but Lùdi Shui paid it no mind.
— "Observe your own mistakes."
The scene replayed before her eyes. She saw her own movements: powerful but imprecise strikes, clumsy dodges, and most of all… her excessive energy consumption.
Lùdi Shui continued.
— "Your gauntlets and greaves aren't extra weight. They're not accessories. They are an extension of yourself. Right now, you're using them like external objects, which causes you to burn through your stamina at a ridiculous rate."
Katie opened her mouth, but no words came out.
— "Breathe," he said softly. "Feel them. You don't need to force their use. They are part of you."
She took a deep breath. The weight of the equipment seemed to lessen slightly.
— "There. Now you're starting to understand."
He stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder.
— "You are strong, Katie. But brute strength isn't enough. Fluidity, harmony between your body and your gear… that's what will make the difference."
The scene slowly faded, and Lùdi Shui left her with one final phrase echoing in her mind.
— "Never let your own power break you again."
Then everything went black.
Morning – 7:00 AM
Katie snapped her eyes open.
She sat up immediately, her body charged with new energy.
— "I have to test this," she murmured.
Without hesitation, she quietly left the infirmary and headed for the gym, eager to apply what Lùdi Shui had taught her.
But what she didn't know was that she wasn't the only one awake.
Half-awake, Hayden noticed her leaving. He let out a long sigh before getting up as well.
— "Why do I feel like she's about to do something stupid…?"
Tired but curious, he shoved his hands into his pockets and followed her quietly to the gym.
Gym – 7:10 AM
Katie stepped into the empty gym, still feeling the morning chill seeping through the high windows. The place was calm and quiet, the wooden floor gleaming under the artificial lights. She wasted no time: with a swift motion, she opened her inventory and summoned more suitable training clothes—a fitted black tank top, sports shorts, and bandages wrapped around her wrists and ankles.
A shiver ran down her spine.
It wasn't her first time training alone. But this time, something was different.
She clenched her fists and looked at her gauntlets and greaves, feeling them more naturally than before. She knew she had to sense them as an extension of herself, just as Lùdi Shui had said.
Without hesitation, she took position and struck the air. One punch. Then another. A quick combo.
BOOM!
The wind whistled around her arms and legs. Her heart pounded. She wanted to test her limits.
But she didn't know she was being watched.
Hayden & Blue – A Conversation in the Shadows
Meanwhile, Hayden leaned casually against a gym wall, arms crossed. He watched Katie train in silence, then murmured without moving:
— "Blue, you there?"
— "Always. What do you want to know?"
Hayden clicked his tongue.
— "I've been thinking about what you said about the system. If I get this right… regular training can raise my stats naturally, right?"
— "Correct. The human body has huge potential, and the system just speeds up its development."
Hayden nodded slowly.
— "And using techniques repeatedly raises both my Body Level and weapon mastery, right?"
— "Precisely."
A small smile formed on Hayden's face.
— "So… if I combine both, I can progress faster, right?"
A brief silence preceded Blue's response.
— "That's a solid theory. Few have tried it before you, but logically, yes."
Hayden closed his eyes for a moment.
Classical training combined with repeated use of his techniques…
He inhaled deeply, remembering the fights he had been through.
The battle against the golden zombies.
The pressure, the fear, and the adrenaline.
Until now, he had never truly prepared. He reacted to situations without a clear plan, and though he had won… he knew it wasn't nearly enough.
— "Interesting," he whispered.
Blue added in a calm voice:
— "But you'll have to be careful. Mixing training and techniques puts more strain on your body. If you mismanage your stamina, you could get hurt or be immobilized for days."
— "Got it. Basically, don't be an idiot."
— "That's the most direct summary I've heard."
Hayden let out a small laugh.
Then, he looked back at Katie.
She was still pounding the punching bag, her gaze focused and determined. He had never seen her like this.
— "She's growing too…" he murmured.
He stretched slightly before standing up straight.
— "Alright. Let's see if my theory works in practice."
And with a calm air, he walked to a corner of the gym to start his own training.
Hayden's Training Begins
Hayden began warming up slowly with a few basic stretches. His body was still sore from yesterday's fight, but the pain was a mere reminder of past mistakes.
He slowly rolled his shoulders, feeling each joint crack lightly, then moved on to trunk rotations and squats. Nothing too intense.
After about ten minutes, he took a deep breath.
— "Activate Samurai's Path."
Immediately, his mind cleared.
His breathing steadied. His heartbeat found a calm, steady rhythm. Everything around him became sharper.
He slowly unsheathed his katana, taking a low stance.
And then he attacked.
The first movement.
His blade sliced through the air with fluidity.
A second.
His feet pivoted naturally, like a precise and deadly dance.
Then a third, a fourth—fluid combos, each one more instinctive than the last.
It was strange.
He felt his body becoming lighter.
As if, for a moment, he had shed his physical limits.
His movements grew faster, sharper.
He continued—one step, one slash, a retreat, an upward strike… and then—
He stopped dead.
A chill ran down his spine.
It wasn't just a feeling.
His body was reacting differently.
He tightened his grip on the katana and murmured:
— "Blue… what just happened?"
Blue replied instantly:
— "Interesting. It seems your body is beginning to adapt to the Samurai's Path."
— "Adapt?"
— "Yes. This isn't just a normal technique. It's a state, a progression. The more you use it, the more your body and mind will harmonize with this Path. That feeling of lightness… that's the first step."
Hayden remained silent for a moment.
He looked at his hands, then at the blade of his katana.
His training was already bearing fruit.
A smirk appeared on his face.
— "I see."
Then, without hesitation, he resumed his movements.
If his body was going to adapt, then he'd push this state to the limit.