The moment the figure moved—
The air snapped.
Karam reacted instantly.
No system.
No slow-motion assistance.
No prompts.
Just instinct.
He stepped to the side as the creature's fist came crashing down—barely missing his face. The ground beneath cracked instantly, dust and debris exploding outward.
"Fast…"
Karam narrowed his eyes.
The creature didn't stop.
It twisted its body, launching a second attack—this time a sweeping strike aimed at his torso.
Karam blocked.
Barely.
His arms trembled from the impact.
"Strong… too strong."
He was pushed back several steps, sliding across the ground.
His breathing became heavier.
The creature tilted its head slightly.
As if observing.
Analyzing.
Then—
It attacked again.
Karam didn't have time to think.
He moved.
Dodged.
Countered.
A clean punch landed on the creature's side.
But—
Nothing.
The creature didn't react.
"...What?"
Before Karam could process—
BOOM—
The creature's fist slammed into his chest.
Karam was launched backward, crashing into the ground hard enough to crack it beneath him.
Pain exploded through his body.
"...gh…"
He coughed.
Blood.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Real…"
This was the first time in this place—
He felt real pain.
Not system-reduced.
Not compensated.
Just raw.
The man watched from the side.
Silent.
"Good," he said calmly. "Now you understand."
Karam slowly stood up.
His body was shaking.
But his eyes…
Were sharp.
"This is what you meant…"
He wiped the blood from his lips.
"No system… no shortcuts."
The creature charged again.
Karam didn't move.
For a split second—
He closed his eyes.
Focus.
He remembered.
The earlier fights.
The movements.
The patterns.
Not the power.
The timing.
His eyes opened.
The creature lunged—
But this time—
Karam moved before it.
Step.
Pivot.
He slipped past its attack.
And delivered a strike to its joint.
A weak point.
The creature staggered slightly.
For the first time—
It reacted.
Karam's breathing steadied.
"There."
The man's eyes narrowed.
"Good…"
The creature roared in anger.
It changed.
Its body twisted.
Power increased.
Speed increased.
"It's adapting…"
Karam felt it.
The pressure rising.
The creature attacked again.
Faster.
Deadlier.
Karam dodged once.
Twice.
But—
The third strike hit him.
Hard.
He was thrown across the ground again.
This time—
He didn't stand immediately.
He lay there.
Breathing heavily.
"...This is bad."
His body was reaching its limit.
The creature stepped closer.
Slow.
Confident.
Karam closed his eyes again.
"Think…"
His breathing slowed.
"There's always a way."
He remembered something.
The system.
But not its power.
Its pattern.
"Everything has a structure…"
He opened his eyes.
Slowly.
Then smiled.
"Even you."
The creature attacked—
But Karam moved differently.
Not reacting.
Predicting.
He stepped into the attack.
At the exact moment—
He twisted his body—
And drove his fist into the creature's core.
Silence.
The creature froze.
Its body trembled.
Then—
It collapsed.
Karam stood there.
Breathing heavily.
His hands shaking.
Blood dripping.
But he was smiling.
"So this is it…"
He looked at his hands.
"This is what I can do… without you."
The man finally spoke.
"Good."
Karam looked at him.
The man's expression was serious.
"You passed the first test."
Karam tilted his head slightly.
"There's more?"
The man nodded.
"Much more."
Karam closed his eyes for a moment.
Then opened them.
Different now.
Sharper.
Colder.
"Good."
He looked forward.
"Let's continue."
📊 [System…]
For a split second—
It flickered.
Weak.
But alive.
⚡ [End of Chapter 25 – Real growth begins]