The very next evening, Kal was on a bus to Port Angeles.
He hadn't slept the night before—not out of excitement, but because he simply couldn't. His body didn't need it the way it used to. He had tried to lie still in bed, but sleep wouldn't come. His mind was too active. His new Kryptonian physiology was awakening, and it was like a constant hum of energy running through him, keeping him alert.
The night before, he'd done everything he could to stay calm, testing his newfound abilities. He lifted furniture in the house just to see how heavy a load he could carry. He ran in the yard at top speed, his feet barely touching the ground before he was already 20 metres away in a single bound.
He hadn't unlocked super speed yet. For now, he just used the strength in his legs to launch himself forward through the air. He lacked the control of true superspeed—he couldn't stop or change direction once he was in motion. More than once, he ended up crashing into the forest near his home. Two trees had already been knocked down by him slamming into—no, through them.
That hurt. A lot. But it at least allowed him to test the extent of his durability.
Every action he took, every movement he made, felt like he was brushing against the edge of something powerful—and it was exhilarating. This was who he was now.
His backpack sat at his feet on the rattling floor of the bus. In it, a hoodie, his wallet, and a cellphone he'd picked up earlier that day—it had set him back 400 bucks, but apparently it was top-of-the-line.
He looked down and fiddled with the black, hexagonal band on his wrist. His suit. The one he had been wearing when he had arrived so very gracefully two nights before. He had learnt that with just a thought it would expand rapidly, clinging to his form like a second skin.
Now, Kal stared out the window, as the bus hummed along the road, the landscape of the Pacific Northwest blurring by. The road wound through forests, mountains, and rivers. Port Angeles wasn't far—an hour only. It was bigger than Forks, and Kal had a plan. At least, a rough one.
He needed XP. And in order to get it he had to help people. 'Save lives. Defend the innocent.' as the system had put it. Forks was just way too small to regularly find crime and Port Angeles was the only relatively big town in the area. He'd thought about going to Seattle—it was much bigger, more crime—but the journey was at least 5 hours each way. And everything the system had given to him was in Forks, so he couldn't just move at the drop of a hat—especially with less than five thousand dollars to his name.
The bus turned onto the road leading into Port Angeles, and Kal tightened his grip on his bag, staring ahead with a single goal. He needed
When the bus finally pulled into the station, Kal didn't waste any time. He grabbed his bag and stepped off the bus, feeling the cool evening air wrap around him. The streets of Port Angeles were bustling more than Forks, with streetlights casting a soft glow on the sidewalks. He could hear the distant hum of traffic, the chatter of people going about their business.
His eyes scanned the crowd. He was still learning how to read people, how to pick up on the subtle signs of trouble. But his heightened senses were already picking up the smallest things—two people talking in a corner café, the hurried footsteps of a walking by, the sound of a car alarm ringing in the distance. None of it screamed danger. Not yet.
He kept walking.
The winter skies had already begun to darken, the fiery red disc that was the sun slowly dipping further and further below the horizon.
—————————————————————————————————
Kal had spent the past few hours walking the streets of Port Angeles with little luck. After stepping off the bus, he made his way downtown, then gradually veered off the main roads in search of the parts of Port Angeles most people avoided after dark. He followed the cracked sidewalks toward industrial sites and low-rent blocks, the kind of places with flickering street lamps, graffiti-tagged walls, and bars that never seemed to close. By now, the skies had completely darkened, a few stars twinkling faintly in the void.
He kept his hood up, eyes scanning, ears open. The occasional voice drifted out from alleyways—slurred laughter, hushed arguments, the clink of bottles. He passed a strip of closed shops, lingered near the entrance of a nightclub with a loose line of smokers, then cut across a parking lot where two men were arguing over a dead car battery.
So far, nothing worth intervening in. Nothing dangerous. Just people living their lives, for better or worse. And Kal didn't want to be some weirdo lingering around corners waiting for a purse snatcher.
Eventually, his wandering brought him to the edges of where the city gave way to old industrial sites—concrete lots, rusted fencing, the hollow silhouettes of long-abandoned warehouses. It was the kind of area that hadn't seen investment in decades, where businesses closed early and street lights flickered halfheartedly. A nightclub thumped nearby, its bass pulsing through the pavement, while a few dive bars clung to the block like stubborn ghosts of a livelier past.
Kal was just passing a narrow service alley tucked between a shuttered garage and a liquor store when he heard it—a sharp yelp, cut off too quickly.
He turned the corner and found the alley.
A young man, maybe early twenties, was trying to scramble away, clutching his right arm close to his chest. He stumbled on the slick pavement as a larger man, bearded, broad-shouldered, grabbed him by the back of the hoodie and slammed him against the wall.
"You think you can duck me?" the bearded man barked, his voice gravel and rage. "You owe me, Justin. And if I don't get my money, I'll snap your other arm too."
Justin whimpered but said nothing. His good hand fumbled weakly against the wall for support.
"Hey!" Kal's voice rang out, sharp and cold.
The bearded man's head jerked toward him. "Piss off kid", he growled. "You don't want problems."
Kal stepped forward anyway.
The man took a step toward Kal, his heavy boots splashing in a shallow puddle. "I said piss off," he snarled again, louder this time, as if volume would compensate for the growing tension hanging in the air.
Kal didn't move. His eyes were fixed on the thug, unreadable, calm—but something beneath them flickered.
Justin whimpered again, still pinned against the wall, his breath hitching in pain.
"You deaf or just dumb?" the man barked. "This doesn't concern you. Walk away, or I swear—"
Kal's voice cut through the space between them like a blade.
"He's had enough."
"Last chance," Kal said, voice low and final. "Walk away."
The man froze for half a second. Just half. Then, as if that stillness gave him permission, he lunged.
He moved fast—for a human. A clumsy swing with too much wind-up, all anger and ego. Kal didn't dodge. He didn't need to.
Kal didn't even blink. His head barely turned, eyes locked on the man.
The thug staggered back, cradling his hand. "What the hell…"
And then he heard them.
The heartbeats.
Justin's, fast and fluttering like a wounded bird. The thug's, hammering with adrenaline. His own—steady. Like a drumbeat.
For a moment, there was silence. Then something shifted in the bearded man's eyes—an animal recognition. A line he hadn't expected to cross. He looked between Kal and Justin, calculating.
"…Not worth it," he muttered, shaking his head. He shoved Justin hard against the wall one last time. "Next time, have my money," he growled, turning his glare back to Kal. "And don't expect anyone to be around to save you."
Kal didn't move. "Run," he said, eyes still on the man.
Justin hesitated, clutching his injured arm, eyes wide and stunned. But he listened.
He turned and bolted down the alley, disappearing around the corner without looking back. Kal didn't follow him—didn't even glance away. The bearded man's jaw flexed as they stared each other down, like two wolves sizing each other up in the cold.
Not long after, a chime.
[+10XP]
The notification blinked faintly at the edge of Kal's vision.
It was enough. A sign. He'd done what he came here to do.
He turned.
He had only just raised his foot when he heard it.
Behind him—a step, the imperceptible swish of something slicing through the air, inaudible to anyone else. But not to him.
A knife.
He moved to turn on instinct, but it was too late.
The blade struck his back… and nothing happened. The metal point crumpled against the tougher material—his skin.
A fraction of a second later, Kal had already completed his turn. Reflex took over. His arm shot out in a sharp, sudden backhand.
The man went flying.
He slammed into the far alley wall with a sickening crunch. The force of it echoed, a horrible wet sound that turned Kal's stomach. The body hit the ground hard. Still.
Somewhere to the side, he heard metal clatter—probably the knife—but Kal wasn't focused on that.
His eyes locked onto the man lying motionless on the cold pavement.
[Level 1 Enemy Defeated: +10 XP]
The system message flickered at the edge of his vision, but it didn't matter.
Fear gripped him like a vice.
He rushed forward, dropping to his knees, cradling the man's upper body. "Hey! Hey—shit, are you…?"
Blood. A lot of it. It painted the side of the man's face, oozing from a ragged gash along his temple. His skin was pale in the dim alley light.
Kal's breath caught in his throat. His limbs felt numb.
'Did I just kill someone?'
He leaned closer, blocking out the world, and focused—really focused. He listened beyond the city sounds, beyond the distant rumble of tires and the buzzing of a nearby streetlamp.
There. A heartbeat.
It was faint. Sluggish. But steady.
Then the sound of breath—a low rasp, but real.
Kal felt his chest cave in with the force of the relief. His vision blurred for a second, and he didn't realize he'd been holding his breath until it came rushing out.
He was alive.
'Thank God.'
He stood frozen for a moment, the man still unconscious in his arms. What now? Should he call someone? Try to explain this? Disappear?
[QUICKTIME EVENT QUEST ASSIGNED: 'Choose a Path']
The notification appeared before him in bold gold text, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Kal blinked.
The screen didn't disappear. Below the message, something began to load.
Kal stared at the man lying crumpled on the ground.
The blood stood out even in the dim alley light, painting a dark streak down the side of his face where it had smeared against the concrete. His limbs were twisted awkwardly, chest barely rising with shallow, uneven breaths. Somewhere nearby, the man's knife had clattered to rest near a stack of broken crates, long forgotten.
His own heartbeat thundered in his ears, drowning out the ambient hush of the city. Everything in him was taut—coiled like a spring—still locked in the instant just after impact. He hadn't meant to hit him that hard. He hadn't thought. He'd reacted.
The system prompt shimmered into being before him, cutting cleanly through the haze of guilt and shock.
[QUICKTIME EVENT QUEST ASSIGNED: 'Choose a Path'
You intervened to stop a crime. In the aftermath, the attacker attempted retaliation. Your instincts struck faster than your mind, leaving him critically injured.
Choose your path forward:
[PATH OF COMPASSION]
Choice: Call emergency services.
Reward: +20 XP, Alignment Shift, New Quest Type Unlocked: Trial Quests.
[PATH OF INDIFFERENCE]
Choice: Walk away. Let fate decide his outcome.
Reward: +20 XP, Alignment Shift, Trait Unlocked: Cold Resolve
Trait Description: Brief boost to power when committing morally grey or ruthless actions.
[PATH OF FINALITY]
Choice: End him. Quietly, efficiently. Tie up loose ends.
Reward: +40 XP, Major Alignment Shift, Unlocks: Black Quests]
He stared at the options, numb.
A part of him understood, instinctively, that this wasn't just a system prompt. It was a mirror. A measure of who he was—who he could become. Three choices. Three futures.
He looked at the man again, still unmoving. Blood glistened along his scalp. Kal focused his hearing. The heartbeat was there—faint, sluggish, but there.
That should've been a relief. It was a relief. And yet…
He'd almost killed him. With a single strike. He hadn't even tried. It hadn't even taken effort.
And now this… this crossroads. A game-like prompt with real-world stakes.
Kal's eyes moved to the third option. Path of Finality.
He didn't flinch from it, not immediately. There was logic to it—brutal, efficient logic. One less threat. One less person to talk, to recognize him, to cause him trouble later. There were no cameras here. No witnesses. He could end it cleanly, and walk away.
'And then what?' he thought bitterly. 'Do I start tallying bodies like XP?'
He exhaled slowly through his nose, gaze dark.
The second option wasn't much better. Indifference. Just walk away. Leave him to bleed out, or get found. Maybe saved, maybe not. It wouldn't be Kal's burden anymore. He'd be choosing nothing—and pretending that wasn't a choice at all.
But he wasn't that detached. He wasn't empty inside.
His hands flexed slowly. He looked at the man one more time. Brutal. Angry. Dangerous. But still a person.
"I can't," Kal whispered. "I can't leave him like this. And I won't kill him."
There was no applause. No chorus of angelic voices confirming he'd done the right thing. Just cold air and the distant bark of a dog.
He crouched beside the man and gently turned him onto his side, checking for a wallet or phone. His fingers found a rectangular shape in an inside coat pocket—a cellphone.
Kal didn't dwell on it. He dialed 911.
"Emergency services, what's your location?" a calm voice answered.
Kal cleared his throat. "There's a man hurt. He's in bad shape—head injury. Behind the warehouse near Westbrook and 7th. You'll see him in the alley."
"Are you the injured party?"
"No," he said. "But he needs help. Please."
He ended the call before the dispatcher could press him further.
The screen dimmed in his hand, going dark. A tether cut.
He stared at the device for a moment, thumb hovering near the power button. It was too much of a liability. Too many fingerprints, too many questions he didn't want to answer.
With a quiet breath, he closed his hand around it and squeezed.
The phone crumpled with a brittle crack, screen shattering inward, casing folding like wet paper. Shards of plastic and glass dug into his palm but didn't pierce his skin. He walked a few paces down the alley, then looked up into the night sky.
He didn't aim. He didn't need to.
With a fluid motion, Kal hurled the phone upward, watching it sail into the darkness—an arcing blur swallowed by the stars. It kept going until it vanished, too small for even his eyes to track.
'Few miles, at least', he thought, blinking in quiet awe.
And then he turned back to the alley—back to the man still unconscious, still breathing—and felt something loosen inside him. He'd made a choice.
The system prompt was gone.
As Kal turned away from the alley, footsteps quiet against the damp pavement, a weight he hadn't realized he'd been carrying began to lift. The knot in his chest loosened with each step, tension bleeding from his muscles. He knew he'd done the right thing.
Leaving that man to die would've stayed with him—festering in the back of his mind, gnawing at whatever kind of person he was trying to be. This... this he could live with.
Maybe the person he had saved tonight wasn't Justin, but himself.
[QUICKTIME EVENT QUEST COMPLETED: 'Choose a Path'
You intervened to stop a crime. In the aftermath, the attacker attempted retaliation. Your instincts struck faster than your mind, leaving him critically injured.]
[Path of Compassion Chosen]
[+20XP, Alignment Shift, Trial Quests Unlocked]
"Trial quests…? What are those?"
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
[TRIAL QUESTS: UNLOCKED]
[Description: Simulated scenarios designed to accelerate skill mastery.
Location: Generated mindscape. Time flow: 10x faster than external reality.
Access Condition: Conscious activation. User will appear asleep to observers.
Objective: Master control of specific abilities through progressive challenges.
Failure Consequence: Scenario reset. No penalty. Persistence encouraged.
Completion Reward: +100XP per completed trial.
Optional Mode: COMBAT TRIAL – Infinite scenario. All abilities disabled.
Objective: Survive, adapt, overcome. +1XP per defeated opponent.
Warning: Trials require focus. Emotional distress or distraction may compromise efficiency. Proceed at your discretion.]
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The rest of Kal's night had been quiet, with no more crimes to stop or trouble to get into. He'd taken the first bus back to Forks, the hour long ride giving him time to think about what he'd just learned. Trial Quests. They were exactly what he needed—something to test his limits and make use of the powers he was still getting the hang of. His mind raced with the possibilities as the bus rolled through the quiet streets of Forks.
He arrived back at his house just as the early morning light filtered through the trees. The house, as always, felt strangely welcoming, its silence offering a strange kind of comfort. He paused at the door for a moment, inhaling the fresh air, before entering. The first thing he did was clean up. A quick shower washed off the grime of the night's adventures, leaving him feeling refreshed.
Next, he made himself a proper breakfast. Nothing fancy—just some eggs and toast, but it was enough. He took his time eating, savoring the quiet morning, knowing that whatever came next would demand all his focus.
He had a trial to complete.
Finally, he took a deep breath and lay down on his bed, stretching out in a comfortable position. His hands rested at his sides as he closed his eyes, his mind focused on the Trial Quests ahead.
"Alright," he murmured, "let's see what this is all about."
With that, he pulled up the system interface, navigating to the Quests tab. There was a new subsection—Trial Quests. He selected it with a thought.
[TRIAL QUESTS]
[If you lose self-control, everything will fall. If you conquer yourself, then you conquer the world.
[Trials of Strength: 0/5] (Available)
[Trials of Endurance: 0/2] (Available)
[Trials of Senses: 0/6] (Available)
[Trials of X-Ray Vision: 0/3] (Locked)
[Trials of Heat Vision: 0/10] (Locked)
[Trials of Flight: 0/8] (Locked)
[Trials of Speed: 0/6] (Locked)
Each trial completed awards 100XP]
Kal was shocked, this was much more extensive than he expected. Each of his abilities had multiple trials—heat vision a whole ten. But that made sense perhaps, it was by far the ability with the most potential for mass destruction.
As Kal observed the menu, excitement bubbled up within him. A whole 4000XP. That's how much he could earn if he managed to complete all the trials. A grin slowly climbed to his face.
How hard could it be?
Kal selected the first trial.
The world blinked out.
When it returned, he found himself standing in the middle of a picturesque valley, bathed in soft golden light. Rolling green hills stretched into the distance, dotted with wildflowers that swayed gently in the breeze. A winding creek sparkled in the distance, the air smelled like morning dew and honeyed grass. Birds chirped cheerfully. It was so peaceful it almost felt... fake.
In front of him stood a massive metal pillar jutting from the ground like the spine of some buried machine. It looked completely out of place in this pastoral dreamscape—tall, solid, and unyielding.
Kal took a step toward it, brows furrowing.
Before he could touch it, a voice called out—clear, robotic, but oddly upbeat. "Greetings, User!"
Kal blinked and turned.
A small white robot was approaching, rolling smoothly over the grass on a hovering disc. Its design was sleek and minimal, with two big glowing blue eyes and spindly arms folded neatly at its sides. Painted across its chest in blocky letters was: T.A.D.
"Uh," Kal said, taken aback. "Hey."
"Welcome to the Mindscape," the robot continued with the enthusiasm of a game show host. "I am T.A.D.—the Trial Assistance Droid! You may call me Tad. My function is to guide and monitor your Trial Quests. Isn't that exciting?"
Kal couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Yeah, sure. Hi, Tad."
Tad's glowing eyes blinked once in a way that somehow felt... proud? "Hello, Kal. It's nice to meet you. Would you like to begin your first trial?"
Kal gestured toward the metal pillar. "Yeah, what do I have to do? Hit that thing?"
"Correct! Your first Trial of Strength is quite simple in concept. You must strike the target"—Tad gestured to the pillar—"ten times in a row with your full strength. Not holding back. Not moderate. Full force."
Kal raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"
Tad's eyes gleamed. "Oh! And there's a catch."
"Of course there is," Kal muttered.
"You must do so," Tad said cheerfully, "without breaking the egg in your hand!"
Kal opened his mouth to protest. He didn't have an e—
He looked down.
There it was.
In each palm, a single, perfectly ordinary egg.
"…When did this get here?"
Tad made a beeping sound that might've been a giggle. "Trial begins when you're ready!"
Kal looked toward the pillar and then back towards the eggs in his hands.
"Sure." he said, wrapping his fingers around them, and moving to stand in front of the large metallic pillar.
Kal stepped up to the pillar, posture squaring as he rolled his shoulders. He flexed his fingers around the eggs—fragile, smooth. His gaze lifted toward the towering metal surface. It was solid, massive. A challenge. But one he could handle. Surely.
"Alright," he muttered, inhaling. "Full strength."
He braced, then drew his arm back, muscles coiling, spine twisting, power rising through him like pressure in a chamber. This would be the first time he struck with everything he had—no restraint, no hesitation. He wanted to know what it felt like.
He let it rip.
His arm blurred through the air, slicing it apart with a whipcrack. When his fist met the pillar, it was like two freight trains colliding. A deep metallic BOOM echoed across the valley, birds scattering into the sky. The impact rang out like a bell struck by a titan.
The pillar didn't budge. It didn't rattle. Not even a shimmer of vibration.
Kal's arm trembled faintly from the reverberation, fingers tingling with an electric sort of feedback—something just shy of pain, but too intense to ignore. He glanced down, frowning.
That's when he felt it.
A wet, slimy trickle oozed between his fingers.
"…Oh no."
He opened his right hand.
The egg was obliterated. Pulverized. Shell shards clung to his skin, the rest already dripping in a gooey mess onto the soft green grass. Yolk and slime oozed from his palm like some kind of embarrassing crime scene.
Behind him, Tad emitted a faux-sympathetic beep-boop.
"Oops! You failed," the robot chirped, almost gleeful. "I guess it's not so easy, is it?"
Kal stared at the mess in his hand. "Right."
There was a soft ping, and in a blink, a new egg appeared in his right palm—fresh, whole, mocking.
But the slime on his hand didn't vanish.
He raised an eyebrow. "Uh. You're not gonna clean this off?"
Tad's glowing eyes brightened slightly. "Not within system protocols!" it replied cheerfully. "Organic material left post-failure is your responsibility. Adds to the learning experience!"
Kal shuddered.
He had the distinct feeling he was going to be very experienced in egg whites by the time this was over.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[TIME ELAPSED: 10 HOURS]
BEEP-BOOP
"Time Elapsed: 10 hours. Break recommended."
Kal staggered back from the pillar, breathing heavily. His shirt was soaked in egg whites, and his hair was a tangled mess, falling in his eyes. A smear of yellow streaked across his cheek, and his right hand felt like it was permanently stuck in an awkward shape. He barely registered the cool breeze or the scenic valley around him anymore. His focus had narrowed to just the pillar, the eggs, and the unbearable frustration that had been building in his chest.
"How…?" He wiped his brow, a groan escaping him. "How is this even possible?"
Every time.
Every single time he tried, he would hold nothing back—just one massive, raw punch—and crack. The egg would shatter in his hand like it was made of paper. No matter how carefully he tried to control it, no matter how much effort he spent adjusting his punch… the egg broke.
He couldn't help it. He was superhuman.
He kicked the ground in frustration, the grass giving way beneath his foot. Maybe he could get close to not breaking the egg… but not while using his full strength. The egg was just too fragile. There was no way to punch like that and not obliterate it. He needed more precision—he could feel that. But how was he supposed to get it right? The system wasn't exactly handing him a manual.
His mind raced, trying to make sense of what was missing. His heart thudded in his chest from exertion, but not physical strain. He was more exhausted mentally than anything else, the constant failure gnawing at him. There had to be something he wasn't seeing—something he wasn't understanding about his own strength.
Tad's voice chirped from the side, playful and cheerful as always.
"Ready for another attempt, Kal? You're doing better than before!" It paused. "But don't forget—the clock is ticking. The egg waits for no one."
Kal let out a slow, controlled breath and wiped the egg whites off his hand. It wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot. He still had a lot to learn, but if there was one thing he had learned over the last ten hours—it was that he wasn't about to give up now.
He clenched his fists. No more reckless strikes. He would find the rhythm. He had to.
He squared up again in front of the pillar, narrowing his eyes. This time, he was going to feel his power, channel it, control it… somehow.
Kal stood before the pillar once again, breathing deep and steady, trying to calm the churning frustration that had been building inside him for hours. The egg in his hand felt almost insignificant now, like the key to unlocking something far bigger than just this trial.
'Focus', he told himself. 'Concentration.'
He could feel the pulsing of his own energy, the raw power thrumming beneath his skin. His body was primed, ready to unleash that same devastating force. But this time, he wasn't going to let it burst out recklessly. He needed to restrain it, guide it, use it with precision.
Kal glanced down at the egg in his hand. It felt fragile, almost fragile enough to crumble in his grip without even trying. But he had to control it.
"Okay," he muttered to himself, narrowing his eyes as he focused on the pillar. "I can do this. Just... control."
He wound his arm back, much slower this time. His fist moved in a slow arc through the air as if he was testing the weight of the punch before it landed. His muscles screamed to go faster, harder, but he resisted. Instead of unleashing everything at once, he concentrated on the force building up in his legs, his core, and then his arm—guiding the motion with as much restraint as he could muster.
With a sharp exhale, he threw the punch.
This time, it landed with a heavy thud, not the explosive bang he'd gotten used to. Kal felt the impact, his knuckles stinging, but he didn't feel the same jarring sensation from earlier. No aching, no numbing shock of striking something too hard. Just a strong, controlled hit.
The pillar didn't move. It didn't even flinch.
But the egg in his hand… it was still intact.
For a moment, Kal froze, staring at the egg. It wasn't undamaged. Cracks ran across the shell, like a spiderweb. But to him it was perhaps the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, artwork unmatched even by the likes of Monet or Van Gogh.
This was the first time he had managed to get even close to not obliterating the egg in his hand.
Tad's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Congratulations, Kal! You've made noticeable progress. That's the first time you've avoided completely breaking the egg."
Kal let out a breath, his fingers trembling around the fragile egg. "I can't believe I didn't crush it. That's… that's gotta be good, right?"
"Indeed!" Tad replied. "It means you're learning to control your strength. But this trial is not yet complete. You must strike the pillar ten times without breaking the egg. Keep at it, Kal. You're not done yet."
"Alright," he said under his breath, moving into another strike. He adjusted his stance slightly, trying to repeat the same level of control.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kal had been at it for hours. Time had long since lost its meaning, every strike blending into the next, every hit vibrating through his bones, his body screaming at him to stop. His sweat soaked through his clothes, his muscles aching with exhaustion. He had spent two hours and forty-nine minutes since the first time he'd managed to strike the pillar and only crack the egg—just crack it. No shattered shell, no gooey mess spilling over his fingers. Just that thin fracture. And that had been the first time he had even come close to not ruining the egg.
But now, Kal was determined. The crack had only lit a fire inside him, pushing him forward with relentless focus.
'You can do this. You have to.'
His breathing was shallow, his chest heaving with every movement, his hands slick with sweat and still coated in the remnants of egg whites. He could feel the weight of it—the disappointment of every failed punch, the frustration gnawing at the back of his mind. But now… now, he had something to show for it.
The egg in his right hand was undamaged, perfectly intact. He had managed to strike the pillar with every ounce of strength he could summon, but not once had the egg cracked. He had to admit, it wasn't easy. Each time his fist collided with the pillar, there was that brief, sharp sting that ran up his arm, like his bones were trying to shatter from the impact. But the egg was holding up.
'One down. Nine to go.' Kal's mind stayed on repeat. 'One punch at a time. One punch at a time.'
The valley around him was still, the soft breeze rustling the grass, but Kal barely noticed the serenity of it anymore. His whole world was the pillar, the egg, and his fists. Every movement had to be precise. Every punch had to be controlled. He couldn't let his strength get the better of him.
His arm rose, muscles tensing, every fiber in his body screaming for him to strike. His breath caught as he threw his first punch, the air parting sharply around his fist. Focus.
The impact was as expected—hard, sharp, a jolt that sent a twinge of pain into his wrist. But the egg didn't budge. It stayed as it was, unbroken, as if mocking his every attempt to force it into submission.
One.
Kal stepped back, eyes narrowing. His fingers clenched tighter around the egg, feeling the delicate weight of it. His heart was pounding in his chest, but there was no time to savor the victory. Not yet. He had nine more strikes to go.
He wasted no time and punched again, harder this time. The pillar groaned under the force, but it stayed unmoving. His arm pulsed with energy, the surge of power that came from the deep well of strength inside him. And yet, the egg didn't crack. No damage.
Two.
It was slow. Methodical. His strikes were deliberate, each one building on the previous. Kal's focus narrowed to the point where he couldn't even hear the sound of his punches, only the dull thud of his body moving in perfect synchronization with his power. He was learning. His body was learning.
At the fifth strike, the fatigue was starting to hit him hard. His breaths came in ragged gasps, sweat dripping down his forehead, his hair sticking to his skin in damp strands. His arms felt like lead, the muscles threatening to give out under the strain. But he pushed through, gritting his teeth and pulling back for the next punch.
Six, seven, eight…
Each punch was slightly less powerful than the last. He was trying to hold back, to regulate his strength just enough so that the egg wouldn't crack, but not so much that he would fail. His body was tired. Exhausted, even. His arms burned, and the effort it took to control himself felt like a never-ending fight. But still, the egg in his hand stayed intact, and that alone was enough to drive him forward.
'Two more.'
By the time he reached the tenth strike, his vision was blurry with exhaustion. His breath was coming in shallow bursts, his muscles shaking with the effort. But there was something in him now—a calm, a quiet focus that he hadn't had before. The pain in his arms, the exhaustion, it all faded into the background as he drew back his fist and released one final, perfect punch.
It felt like time stopped. His fist met the pillar with a resounding crack, and for a split second, Kal thought that the egg had finally broken, that all his work had been for nothing. But when his vision cleared and he looked down at the egg in his hand, his heart skipped a beat.
It was still intact.
No crack. No blemish. Not even a hairline fracture.
He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He was shaking—his body was trembling from the sheer exhaustion, the strain—but the egg was whole. He had done it.
"Congratulations, Kal!" Tad's cheerful voice piped up, as if to remind him that he had not, in fact, just imagined his success. "You have successfully completed the Trial of Strength! Ten successful strikes without breaking the egg. Well done!"
Kal sank to his knees, still holding the egg in his hand. His arm felt like it was on fire, but he couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face. He had done it. It hadn't been easy, but he had finally made it.
[Trial of Strength 1 Complete]
[+100XP]
Kal barely heard the words. His gaze was still fixed on the egg, still in one piece, and he felt a surge of pride. It was a small victory, but it was his victory.
He let out a deep sigh and fell to his knees, unable to hold himself up any longer. The valley around him was calm, serene, but Kal could only focus on the satisfaction that bloomed in his chest. After hours of frustration, failure, and effort, he had done it.
One trial down. One hundred experience points earned.
And a whole lot more yet to come.
The world around Kal seemed to dissolve into nothingness, the vibrant green valley, the pillar, the weight of his exhaustion—all of it fading away like a distant memory. The sharp sting of his sore muscles, the pounding rhythm of his heart, and the heavy breath that had strained his lungs all vanished, leaving only a quiet sense of disorientation in their wake.
In the blink of an eye, his vision snapped back to the familiar surroundings of his bedroom. The ceiling, the dim light filtering through the window, the comfortable silence—it was all as he had left it. For a moment, Kal lay there, eyes wide open, trying to process the shift. The exhaustion that had felt so real, the agony in his arms, the deep satisfaction of his success—it was gone now. His body felt exactly as it had before he began the trial, as though he had never even moved.
He blinked, staring up at the ceiling, trying to shake off the lingering sensation of the mindscape. 'That felt so real', he thought, flexing his fingers and raising his arm to see the smooth, unmarred skin. 'The pain, the effort, everything…' It was as if the last more than ten hours had never happened, but a surge of pride still hummed quietly in his chest.
He could almost still feel the weight of the egg in his hand, the delicate fragility of it, and the rush of accomplishment when he had finally succeeded. Kal's lips curled into a satisfied grin.
'I did it. I really did it.'
A slow breath escaped him as he sat up, stretching his arms above his head. He felt a little lightheaded—no doubt a side effect of the trial—but it was nothing compared to the overwhelming relief of completing it. There was a sense of quiet pride, a small victory that meant more than any XP or rewards could convey.
He glanced over at his clock, the time reading just over an hour since he had begun the trial. Time had passed quickly in the mindscape, but he couldn't deny that the trial had taken its toll.
But the weight of the victory still lingered in his chest. It was a strange, surreal feeling—one that would take a while to fully absorb.
Kal rubbed his face and took a few moments to calm the lingering energy pulsing through his veins. His muscles felt stiff from the exertion, but the strain was long gone. He couldn't help but chuckle quietly to himself.
"This is insane," he murmured under his breath, a grin tugging at his lips. "That trial was something else."
He pushed himself up from the bed and walked toward the window, his fingers brushing against the cool glass as he looked out at the world outside. The streets of Forks were still quiet, as they had always been, the mist curling around the trees and the houses nestled in their perpetual shadows. It felt... normal.
His mind drifted back to the next trial. He could feel the pull of it already, the challenge waiting for him. His eyes closed for a moment as he considered it.
'Should I try another trial?'
The temptation was undeniable, but a part of him knew he should take a break. He had pushed himself hard during the last trial, and while the feeling of triumph was still fresh, there was a part of him that wanted to savor it before diving into another one. He needed to clear his head.
After a few minutes of relaxing, Kal lay back on his bed, getting comfortable but not to sleep. Instead, he focused inward, mentally calling up the system interface, which materialized in front of him like a floating HUD. The sleek design was simple, but it was enough to give him control over his next steps. His hand instinctively hovered over the trial menu, considering his options.
The Trial of Strength had pushed him hard, but he was ready for more. He almost selected the next strength trial, but something tugged at him to switch it up. Endurance.
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IMPORTANT NOTE:
Just a heads up guys, Kal doesn't know he is in Twilight. In fact in his last life he'd never even watched it, just knows about it in general—lovey-dovey vampire romance garbage in his opinion. So he also doesn't know the plot. He'll only realise what world he is in when he eventually sees both Bella and Edward (he recognises Kristen Stewart and a very handsome version of Robert Pattinson).
I've also massively expanded upon the lore so he doesn't just bulldoze through everything upon reaching level 15 - that would be no fun. So, yes there will be much stronger beings.
Finally, thanks for reading this chapter!