For a moment after the system notification appeared, the entire dungeon chamber felt strangely quiet.
Not peaceful quiet.
More like the calm moment right before something stupidly powerful happened.
Ryuji Kuroda stood in the center of the ruined boss chamber, the glowing silver artifact still resting in his palm while blue system windows hovered in front of his eyes.
Next to him, Lumi floated in midair with both hands gripping her head like she was trying to stop her brain from escaping through her skull.
The message pulsed again.
---
System Update Complete
New Function Unlocked
Combat Skill Evolution
---
Ryuji slowly blinked.
Then his grin started spreading.
"Oh."
"Oh this is gonna be good."
Lumi groaned loudly.
"No it's not!"
He glanced up at her.
"You kidding? This is exactly the good part."
"There is no good part!" she shouted. "You are running a system that isn't even supposed to exist in this world!"
Ryuji shrugged casually.
"Sounds like a design flaw."
She pointed at the floating interface like it had personally insulted her.
"That feature should only activate at much higher levels!"
"Define higher."
"At least level thirty!"
Ryuji scratched his chin.
"…I'm level seven."
"Yes!" Lumi screamed.
"And?"
"AND YOU'RE EVOLVING SKILLS ALREADY!"
He nodded thoughtfully.
"Speedrunning."
Lumi froze.
"…What?"
"Speedrunning," he repeated. "You know, beating the game faster than intended."
"This isn't a game!"
"Still feels like one."
She let out the longest sigh any goddess had probably ever produced.
---
Meanwhile the system interface expanded.
A new menu appeared in front of Ryuji.
---
Combat Skill Evolution Available
Compatible Skill Detected:
Street Brawler Lv.1
---
Ryuji leaned forward like someone opening a present on their birthday.
"Well well."
"Let's see what we got."
The screen split into two paths.
Two possible evolutions appeared.
---
Street Brawler → Iron Fist Style
Street Brawler → Savage Grappler
---
Ryuji rubbed his hands together.
"Choices."
Lumi crossed her arms.
"Oh fantastic."
"You get options now."
He started reading.
---
Savage Grappler
Evolution Path: Close-Quarters Wrestling
Focus: grappling techniques and bone-locking holds.
Bonuses:
+15% grappling strength
Chance to immobilize enemies
Enhanced throws and joint breaks
---
Ryuji tilted his head.
"…That's pretty brutal."
Lumi muttered, "Like you need help being brutal."
He ignored her and read the second option.
---
Iron Fist Style
Evolution Path: Impact Striking
Bonuses:
+25% Unarmed Damage
Enhanced impact force
Unlock Skill: Shockwave Punch
---
Ryuji blinked.
"…Shockwave punch?"
The words alone sounded awesome.
Lumi stared at the menu.
"Oh come on."
"What?"
"You're definitely picking that one."
"Obviously."
She rubbed her temples.
"You're becoming a walking natural disaster."
He shrugged.
"Better than becoming a professional hugger."
She pointed angrily.
"Your fists already break bones!"
Ryuji grinned.
"Then we're upgrading to breaking more bones."
---
He selected the option.
---
Confirm Skill Evolution?
Street Brawler → Iron Fist Style
---
"Yes."
The moment he confirmed the choice, the system exploded with light.
Energy surged through his body like lightning.
His muscles tightened.
His bones felt heavier.
Denser.
Stronger.
His heartbeat slowed into a steady rhythm.
Then knowledge flooded into his mind.
Punch techniques.
Impact angles.
Weight transfer.
How to drive power from the legs through the hips into the shoulders and finally the fist.
How to strike in ways that maximized force.
How to turn even a simple punch into something devastating.
It felt like someone had taken years of martial arts training and shoved it directly into his brain.
Ryuji inhaled sharply.
"…Whoa."
The energy faded.
A new system notification appeared.
---
Skill Evolution Complete
Street Brawler → Iron Fist Style
Bonus: +25% Unarmed Damage
---
Ryuji slowly flexed his hands.
The Iron Brawler Gloves creaked slightly around his knuckles.
His fists felt heavier.
But also faster.
More precise.
Like every movement carried weight behind it.
He threw a light punch into the air.
WHUMP.
The air rippled.
Actually rippled.
Ryuji blinked.
"…Did I just bend the air?"
Lumi stared.
"Yes."
"…Nice."
She pointed at him.
"That was a casual punch!"
"Yeah."
"You're not even trying!"
Ryuji grinned wider.
"This system rules."
---
Another notification appeared.
---
New Skill Learned
Shockwave Punch
---
Ryuji raised an eyebrow.
"Let's see."
The system displayed the description.
---
Shockwave Punch
Release compressed force through a punch.
Impact generates a short-range shockwave.
Enemies struck are briefly stunned.
---
Ryuji whistled.
"Oh hell yeah."
Lumi immediately looked nervous.
"…You are absolutely going to break something."
"Probably."
He turned toward a cracked stone wall inside the dungeon.
The chamber still showed signs of the brutal boss fight.
Broken pillars.
Shattered rock.
Goblin bodies scattered everywhere.
Perfect testing ground.
Ryuji rolled his shoulders.
"Alright."
"Let's see what this does."
Lumi hovered behind him.
"You better not collapse the dungeon!"
"No promises."
He activated the skill.
The system flashed.
---
Shockwave Punch Ready
---
Energy gathered around his fist.
Not visible energy.
But pressure.
The air tightened around his knuckles.
Lumi's wings fluttered nervously.
"…I don't like that."
Ryuji stepped forward.
Then punched.
BOOOOOOM.
The impact sounded like a cannon blast.
A shockwave burst outward from his fist.
The stone wall exploded.
Chunks of rock blasted across the chamber.
Dust filled the air.
For a moment the entire dungeon echoed with the sound.
Ryuji slowly lowered his arm.
"…Holy shit."
The wall had cracked several feet deep.
A spiderweb of fractures spread across the stone.
Lumi screamed.
"STOP PUNCHING THE DUNGEON!"
Ryuji coughed through the dust.
"…Okay yeah that's strong."
She flew over and inspected the damage.
"That was reinforced dungeon stone!"
Ryuji rubbed the back of his neck.
"…Oops."
"You almost punched a tunnel into the next chamber!"
"…That sounds useful."
She glared at him.
"You are not allowed to solve problems by punching them harder!"
He thought about that.
"…That's literally my entire strategy."
---
After a few minutes, the dust settled.
Ryuji stretched his arms again.
The new power still buzzed through his muscles.
He liked it.
A lot.
"Alright."
"Let's test it on something that moves."
Lumi sighed.
"Oh great."
---
They left the hidden dungeon through the goblin cave.
The late afternoon sun shone over the western hills.
Fresh air filled Ryuji's lungs.
"Man."
"Feels good not smelling goblin anymore."
Lumi hovered beside him.
"You caused enough destruction for one day."
"Relax."
"I'm just testing."
She crossed her arms.
"That's exactly what worries me."
---
They didn't walk long before the monster tracking compass twitched.
The needle spun.
Then locked toward the nearby forest.
Ryuji grinned.
"Perfect."
"What now?"
"Live targets."
Lumi groaned.
---
Inside the forest, movement rustled through the bushes.
Three wolf-like creatures emerged.
Dark fur.
Sharp fangs.
Yellow eyes.
---
Dire Wolves – Lv.6
---
Ryuji cracked his knuckles.
"Alright boys."
"Let's dance."
The wolves growled.
Then charged.
Fast.
Very fast.
Ryuji stepped forward instead of retreating.
He activated the new skill.
Energy gathered in his fist.
The first wolf lunged.
Ryuji punched.
BOOM.
The shockwave blasted outward.
The wolf flew backward mid-jump.
It slammed into a tree and dropped unconscious.
The other two wolves skidded to a halt.
Stunned.
Ryuji laughed.
"Oh man."
"That's broken."
One wolf tried attacking from the side.
Ryuji spun and punched again.
Another shockwave erupted.
The wolf tumbled across the ground.
The last one hesitated.
Then ran.
Ryuji watched it go.
"…Probably a good life decision."
Lumi stared at the fallen wolves.
"…You just knocked them out with air pressure."
Ryuji shrugged.
"Shockwave punch."
She rubbed her temples again.
"I regret reincarnating you."
---
But neither of them noticed the man watching from the treeline.
Hidden behind thick bushes.
A hood covered his head.
A black snake tattoo curled around his neck.
One of the Black Viper gang scouts.
His eyes were wide.
"…What the hell…"
He had been sent to check the goblin nest.
Instead he had witnessed something terrifying.
A man punching monsters like they were paper dolls.
The scout slowly backed away.
"…Boss needs to know about this."
Then he disappeared into the forest.