The Training Begins

Dante woke up early in the morning, his body still adjusting to the new environment of the refuge. The room was illuminated by the faint light of dawn filtering through the curtains. He got up with a sigh, feeling the fatigue of the previous days in his muscles, but also a renewed determination to start his training.

After getting dressed, he left the room and headed to the small kitchen of the refuge. Marcus was already awake, preparing breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.

"Good morning," Marcus said, serving a cup of coffee for Dante. "We have a lot to do today."

Dante nodded as he took the cup. "Yes, I'm ready."

They ate breakfast in silence, focused on what lay ahead. After eating, Marcus took Dante to the practice area. For the next few hours, Marcus taught him basic hand-to-hand combat techniques.

-A few hours later-

Marcus threw a quick jab at Dante's face. Dante clumsily dodged it, responding with a punch aimed at Marcus's abdomen, which Marcus easily blocked. Marcus attacked again, this time with a combination of quick strikes that Dante barely managed to block. As the fight continued, Dante's inexperience showed: his movements were slower and less precise, often leaving openings that Marcus used to land gentle corrective blows.

Despite his inexperience, Dante displayed a quick learning ability. Each time Marcus hit or corrected him, Dante adjusted his stance and improved his movements. At the end of the sparring session, Marcus stepped back, not very tired but with a look of surprise on his face. "You're a fast learner, Dante," he said, visibly impressed by how quickly Dante was improving.

"But remember, Dante, it's not just about strength. It's about technique and precision," Marcus explained as he demonstrated a move.

Dante imitated him, feeling his body respond better to the exercises with each attempt. Throughout the training, the bioluminescent mark on Dante's arm glowed very subtly, barely noticeable in the room's lighting. No one, not even Marcus, noticed the faint glow accompanying each of Dante's movements and efforts.

Marcus checked his watch and stopped. "I have to go to work and look for more clues about Lena. Are you okay staying here?" Marcus asked.

Dante frowned. "I can help look. If you have to work, it's wasted time for finding Lena. I can go search for clues while you work."

Marcus shook his head, his expression serious. "It's not safe. Kade is still looking for you. If they see you, they could follow you and discover this place."

Dante clenched his fists, frustrated. "But I'm wasting time here. I can help!"

Marcus put a hand on Dante's shoulder. "I understand your frustration, but we need to be smart. Let me handle this. I promise I'll do everything possible to find her."

Dante sighed, knowing Marcus was right, even if he didn't like it. "Alright."

"Thank you," Marcus said, smiling slightly. "Train and improve your skills. Every day counts."

When Marcus left, Dante tried to leave the refuge but found the exit blocked. Frustration washed over him, feeling trapped. He returned to the training room. Determined not to waste time, he began practicing his [Line of Death] skill with even more intensity. He observed each movement, perfecting the precision of his strikes and synchronizing his movements with the lines that appeared in his vision.

Besides practicing his skill, Dante dedicated himself to strengthening his body. He did resistance exercises, lifted weights, and ran in place to improve his physical condition. The routine repeated day after day: train, eat, rest. Every time he felt tired or discouraged, he remembered Lena and the need to be in his best shape to rescue her.

After a week, Dante, driven by curiosity, checked his statistics in the system.

"Activate"

A status window appeared.

Name: Dante

[Strength: 4]

[Agility: 5]

[Reflexes: 6]

[Intelligence: 12]

[Charisma: 2]

[Energy: 4]

Skills:

[Line of Death]

Implants:

[Death Eyes]

He noticed that his strength, agility, and reflexes had increased by one point each. Despite the improvements, he wasn't satisfied. "It's not enough," he muttered, feeling the impatience grow inside him. He needed to find Lena, and each day spent doing nothing made him feel more desperate.

That night, when Marcus returned from work, Dante exploded. "I can't stay locked up here! It's illegal, and besides, you're not getting much done on your own. I can help look for clues."

Marcus looked at him calmly, understanding his frustration. "I'm sorry, Dante. I had no right to keep you locked up. I just wanted to keep you safe."

Dante crossed his arms, waiting for a concrete response.

"You don't understand, Marcus. Every day that passes is another day Lena is in danger. I can't stay here doing nothing while she's out there. I need to do something."

Marcus sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I understand your concern, Dante, but there's more at stake than you think. Kade's thugs are still looking for you. If they see you, you could put yourself in danger and ruin everything we've been working towards."

Dante clenched his fists, trying to stay calm. "Marcus, every day that passes is another day Lena is in Neotech's hands. I can't sit idly by. I need to do something."

Marcus looked at him, his expression reflecting a mix of worry and internal conflict. "It's not that simple. Finding Lena won't be easy. Neotech is a powerful organization, and we can't afford to make mistakes."

"I know" Dante replied, his voice softer but full of determination. "But we can work together. I can help you look for clues while you work. We can cover more ground that way."

Marcus closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before responding. "I understand your point, but it's too dangerous."

Dante stepped closer to Marcus, looking him directly in the eyes. "Marcus, I'm not asking for permission to be reckless. I'm asking you to trust me. Let me prove that I can be useful. We can plan each move carefully. But don't leave me here doing nothing."

The tension in the air was palpable as both men stared at each other, feeling the weight of the decision. Finally, Marcus nodded. "Alright. You're right. I don't have the right to keep you here against your will. But promise me you'll be extremely cautious. I don't want to risk your life more than necessary."

Dante smiled, feeling immense relief. "I'll be careful. I just want to find Lena and bring her back."

Marcus nodded again, his expression softening a bit. "Very well. But before you go, I'll show you something that will be useful." He walked over to a nearby table and activated a holographic projector, showing a detailed map of the city, the first Dante had ever seen. Marcus explained the division of sectors, pointing to sector 16 where they were and sector 12 where they believed Lena was. Dante, who lived in sector 18, realized they were quite far from his home and Kade's base.

"This is how you can get to sector 12 without problems" Marcus said, tracing a route on the map. "Avoid these checkpoints and stay in the safer areas."

Dante nodded, memorizing the path while thanking Marcus. Both went to sleep, though Dante's mind was filled with thoughts about the next day. That night, before going to bed, he remembered the holographic map Marcus had shown him. The idea of comparing that map with the system's map came to mind, and he decided to investigate.

He activated the system and explored the integrated map. To his surprise, all the sector divisions Marcus had shown him were there, clearly delineated. A yellow dot marked his current location in sector 16.

Surprised by the system's accuracy, he decided to run some tests later. The next day, after morning training, he changed into the clothes Marcus had left for him and armed himself with a knife and a pistol from the practice room table.

Determined, he left the refuge and headed towards sector 12, resolved to find clues about Lena's whereabouts.