Sol Mirek stared at the pop-up window before him, a flicker of temptation crossing his mind. He decided to wait and see if he could meet the evolution conditions for Fighting Genius after Baki regained consciousness. If not, Hanma Blood would be his choice without hesitation. Time was limited—just five months in this world—and Sol wanted to evolve as much as possible.
He exhaled slowly and crouched to check Baki's condition. The surrounding classmates were stunned. A few eager boys tried to step forward, but Sol raised a hand.
"He's just temporarily unconscious. He'll be fine," Sol said calmly, though his mind raced.
According to Baki Hanma's profile, he grew stronger after each setback, especially after defeat. These injuries were trivial—Baki would recover quickly.
Sol tore off his sleeve, creating a small graze on his forearm, and deliberately held it in front of Baki's eyes. He whispered,
"You're impressive. You actually managed to hurt me."
Baki's eyes snapped open, pupils locking on the blood. "Did you go easy on me?"
It wasn't surprising. After ten minutes of relentless attacks without landing a hit, he was dazed, and the thought that he had actually struck Sol was hard to grasp.
"No, your final strike did break through my prediction," Sol said sincerely, waiting for the system prompt. "You're very impressive. If possible, I hope we can fight a few more matches."
He extended his right hand.
Baki's eyes lit up. He struggled to sit up, ignoring the pain, and gripped Sol's hand tightly.
"Sol, your strength… it's incredible. I… I want to fight you more often!"
At that moment, the system pinged.
Ding! Detected that the host has gained Baki Hanma's genuine approval. Evolution conditions met.
Talent Ability: Fighting Genius can evolve.
Evolve immediately?
Sol chose yes without hesitation, a wider smile spreading across his face.
Fighting Genius is evolving, current progress 10% (Cannot proceed to the next evolution until the host has completed this evolution.)
A warm current surged through Sol's body. Neural reactions sharpened, muscle memory formed rapidly, and Baki's movements replayed vividly in his mind.
"Sol?" Baki called, concerned as Sol froze momentarily.
Sol shook off the moment and reached out. "I'm fine. You, however, need to check if you're okay."
Baki scratched his head, smiling. "Minor injuries. Nothing serious."
"But… Sol, did you really see through all my moves and dodge with minimal effort just to study my techniques?"
Sol nodded. "This is my unique fighting method."
Baki didn't protest further. He knew Sol's method was formidable, but it didn't shock him. With Hanma Blood, he could learn most fighting techniques almost instantly. Sol's method, however, required observation, but Baki recognized that repeated matches would eventually allow him to learn it too. One day, he would get closer to Yujiro Hanma himself.
Classmates gathered around, watching in awe.
"That was amazing!"
"Sol actually defeated Baki!"
"You two are straight out of a combat manga!"
Baki rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish smile on his face, but his eyes betrayed admiration.
"Next time, I'll win," Baki said seriously.
"I'm looking forward to it," Sol replied with a grin, eager for the battles that would accelerate his Fighting Genius evolution.
The two walked out together, leaving the remaining classmates behind. On the way, Baki asked curiously,
"Sol, where did you learn your fighting style? It's unlike anything I've seen before."
"Self-taught," Sol replied calmly. "I developed it by observing attacks and dodging, experimenting on my own."
Baki looked genuinely impressed. "To reach this level through self-study… that's incredible."
Sol nodded, keeping silent about his broader goals. His next stop was Shinshinkai, where he would study Karate and rapidly boost his Fighting Genius progress.
The Shinshinkai dojo was vast, filled with dozens of students in white gis, their shouts of "hup-ha" echoing across the space. At the front, a young man in a white gi with a black belt oversaw the training.
Sol immediately recognized him: Katsumi Orochi, son of Doppo Orochi, the God of Martial Arts.
Katsumi noticed Sol at the entrance and frowned slightly. "Are you here to sign up?"
"I want to learn Karate," Sol said simply.
Katsumi's eyes scanned the seemingly ordinary young man. "Do you have any foundation?"
"I haven't studied systematically, but I know practical combat techniques," Sol replied calmly.
Katsumi raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. He gestured to the open space in the center of the dojo. "Show me."
Sol removed his shoes and stepped to the center. The students paused, curious about the stranger.
"Begin," Katsumi said, arms crossed, gaze sharp.
Sol replayed his fight with Baki in his mind and assumed a stance inspired by Baki, his muscles primed for optimal output.
Katsumi's pupils narrowed. The stance appeared simple, yet the balance and readiness betrayed deep practical combat experience.
"Interesting," Katsumi murmured. "I'll be your opponent."
The dojo fell silent. As Shinshinkai's rising star and new head of the dojo, Katsumi rarely engaged beginners personally.
Sol's lips curved into a playful smile. "Couldn't ask for more."
____
If you'd like to read advance chapters, they're available on my Patreon with a 40% Discount, and 7-days trial before getting charged.
Code: RAMADANPASS
Patreon.com/Zphyr