As soon as Rito stepped into his house, he let out a long sigh. The entire day had been an exhausting mess. From helping his father, getting dragged into Momioka Risa's schemes, and then dealing with a bunch of delinquents, he could barely process everything that had happened. His body ached from the fight, but strangely, it wasn't unbearable—he could feel that his body was adapting.
"I might as well start training seriously..." he thought, rolling his shoulders.
But that could wait. Right now, all he wanted was to take a nice, hot shower.
The moment he stepped into the bathroom, he turned the water on, letting the steam fill the room. As the warm water poured down his back, his tense muscles relaxed. The fight earlier replayed in his mind.
At first, he thought he was just lucky. But that wasn't it. His movements had been instinctive, like he had already learned how to fight somewhere deep within himself. His body simply reacted, dodging, countering, and attacking as if it were second nature.
"Did my system do something? Or was it something I unconsciously picked up over the years?"
Shaking his head, he decided to set those thoughts aside. After all, thinking about it wouldn't change anything. What mattered was that he had survived the encounter, and if he wanted to make sure he wouldn't be caught off guard again, he needed to be prepared.
Finishing his shower, he dried his hair with a towel, changed into comfortable clothes, and stepped out into the living room, where the scent of food greeted him.
Cooking with Mikan
Mikan was already in the kitchen, preparing ingredients for dinner. She glanced at him as he walked in.
"Took you long enough," she remarked. "If you had stayed in there any longer, I would've started without you."
Rito smirked. "Come on, I was washing off the exhaustion. Anyway, what's on the menu?"
"Stuffed chicken with a special sauce," Mikan replied, already cutting up vegetables. "Since you're here, you can help."
Rito grabbed an apron. "Alright, what do I do?"
Mikan tossed him a knife. "Start by chopping these mushrooms. Evenly, not like last time where you made half of them too big."
Rito grinned. "I don't recall that happening."
"That's because I had to fix it before you noticed," she shot back.
They worked together, with Mikan handling the difficult parts while Rito followed her lead.
Though it was supposed to be a simple task, it was strangely fun. The two of them laughed as they cooked, teasing each other over small mistakes.
Before long, the dish was ready. The stuffed chicken was perfectly golden, the sauce rich and flavorful. As they sat at the table, Rito took a bite and let out a satisfied hum.
"Damn, this is good."
Mikan smirked. "Of course it is. I was the one supervising you."
Rito chuckled, shaking his head. Moments like these were rare, and he found himself appreciating them more than ever.
But once dinner was over, it was time to focus on something more important.
Finding a Way to Train
After cleaning up, Rito returned to his room and sat down in front of his computer. If he was serious about training, then he needed to learn actual combat techniques.
"Alright, where do I start?"
First step: Check online for martial arts training programs.He opened his browser and typed in a simple search:"Best martial arts for self-defense"
The first few results were exactly what he expected—karate, boxing, jiu-jitsu, and Muay Thai.
Second step: Find video tutorials.He clicked on YouTube and browsed through different martial arts lessons. Most of them were beginner-friendly, showing basic stances and techniques. They were useful, but he felt like they lacked depth.
Third step: Look for professional courses.He checked various online martial arts courses that offered structured lessons from professionals. Most of them required payment, and while he had some money saved, he wasn't sure if it was worth it.
Just as he was about to give up, something strange caught his eye.
A website link appeared at the bottom of the search results, almost as if it had been hidden. The title was simple:
"The Dojo of True Masters – Learn From the Best"
Rito frowned. It didn't have a description or reviews, which was suspicious, but his gut told him to check it out.
Clicking on the link, he was directed to a login page.
[Welcome to the Dojo of True Masters]Real combat. Real techniques. No nonsense.
[Account Registration Required]
Below that, there was a payment option. The course fee was expensive, but something about this site felt different. It didn't look like a scam—it felt real.
And then, his system suddenly chimed.
[New Quest: The Path of Combat]Objective: Register and gain access to the Dojo of True Masters.Reward: Combat Skill Progression Unlocked.
Rito's eyes widened.
"The system is giving me a quest for this?"
That confirmed it—this wasn't just some random site. This was something important.
Without hesitation, he pulled out his card and paid for the membership.
The screen instantly changed.
[Registration Complete. Welcome, Rito Yuuki.]
Dozens of video courses became available, each featuring different martial arts styles. But what really caught his attention were the live matches.
One of the newest uploads showed a dojo where two fighters were facing off. The camera wasn't static like normal recordings—it moved dynamically, capturing every strike and counter.
The title read:
"Master of Bajiquan vs. Muay Thai Champion – A True Clash of Strength"
Rito clicked on it.
A female voice narrated over the video: "Welcome to the Dojo of True Masters, where only the strongest techniques survive. Tonight, two masters will fight for the right to teach their style. Watch closely—this is real combat."
The fight started, and immediately, Rito knew this was on another level.
The Muay Thai fighter moved with devastating precision, using powerful knee strikes and elbow blows. But the Bajiquan master countered with explosive close-range attacks, using body momentum to overwhelm his opponent.
It was fast. Brutal. Real.
Rito leaned forward, his heart pounding.
"This… this is exactly what I needed."
He checked the channel's creator.
Mio – The Wandering Martial Arts Prodigy.
"Who the hell is Mio?"
Whoever they were, they had gathered some of the greatest martial artists in the world. And now, Rito had access to their knowledge.
His journey into real combat training had just begun.