13. Progress

Ryota's face grew more serious, his eyes distant as he thought about his past. He hesitated for a moment, then started to talk.

"My story... it's a lot like yours, Kaito. A Celestial Dragon came to my kingdom. He liked my older sister, the princess, and demanded that she be given to him as a slave. Of course, my family and I protested. We couldn't stand the thought of our beloved sister being taken away and treated so badly."

Ryota paused, his jaw tightening as he remembered what happened next. "But the Celestial Dragon couldn't be stopped. Our resistance only made him angry. In a cruel twist, my whole family was killed, and I was blamed for their deaths. They said I did it to try to take the throne. They made me out to be a power-hungry monster, and the kingdom turned against me."

Kaito sighed deeply, the weight of shared pain clear on his face. "I guess we both have suffered because of the Celestial Dragons," he said quietly, a note of understanding in his voice.

Ryota and Kaito both went quiet, the heavy silence between them filled with the unspoken weight of their shared grief. The memories of their tragic pasts lingered in the air, neither willing nor able to say more. The dim light of their cell cast long shadows on the stone walls, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

Soon, the metallic clang of approaching footsteps echoed down the corridor, signaling the arrival of the guards. Two burly men appeared, carrying the usual meal trays. Without a word, they placed the plates in front of each cell and slid them through the narrow gaps at the bottom. The aroma of the simple food filled the room, a small comfort in their grim surroundings.

"Hey, you want some?" Ryota asked, his voice breaking the silence. It was a routine question, one he had asked Kaito every day since Kaito had started giving him advice on his training.

Kaito shook his head, offering a small smile of gratitude. "No, you eat it. You're young, Ryota. You need the energy to train yourself."

With that, Kaito picked up his piece of bread and began to munch on it methodically, his eyes distant and contemplative. Ryota could only sigh in response, knowing well the stubbornness of the older man. Once Kaito made up his mind, no one could change it. Resigned, Ryota turned his attention to his own meal, slowly eating as his thoughts wandered.

As he chewed, Ryota decided to distract himself by checking his progress. He activated his system panel, a faint holographic interface appearing before his eyes.

________________________________________

••Status••

-Name: Ryota Hoshiro

- Level: 1

-Job: None

-Title: None

••Stats••

-HP: 2620

-MP: 210

-Fatigue: 0

-Strength: 35

-Stamina: 31

-Agility: 29

-Intelligence: 20

-Perception: 16

-Available Stat Points: 0

••Passive Skills••

-Tenacity: Level 1

-Cold Resistance: Level 1

-Focus: Level 1

••Active Skills••

-Phantom Strike: Level 1

••Store••

••Inventory••

________________________________________

Due to his non-stop training on boxing for the last ten days, Ryota was able to gain two new skills. One was the passive skill names Focus while the other was an active skill names Phantom Strike.

The Focus skill had proven invaluable to Ryota. It helped him increase his concentration by 20%, allowing him to channel his energy more effectively during training and combat.

This enhanced focus also significantly boosted his chances of learning new skills, raising the probability by 7%. Ryota found that with Focus, his mind was sharper, enabling him to grasp techniques and strategies more quickly. It was a subtle yet powerful improvement that had already begun to make a noticeable difference in his progress.

As for the Phantom Strike, it was a game-changer. This active skill increased his punching speed and strength by 50%, with an added bonus of improving his accuracy by 25%. Although it only lasted for 20 seconds and consumed 75 MP per use, followed by a 4-minute cooldown period, it was still incredibly effective at Ryota's current stage.

The brief surge of power and precision it provided could turn the tide of a fight, giving him a critical edge when he needed it most. During those fleeting moments, Ryota felt unstoppable, his fists moving with blinding speed and devastating force.

As for the random boxes, it would be good for Ryota's mental health if he didn't talk about them.

Reflecting on these new abilities, Ryota felt quite grateful to Kaito. If not for him, Ryota would still have been struggling to learn boxing and may have been stuck in the earlier stages.

He glanced over at Kaito, who was still munching on his bread, lost in thought. Kaito had been a mentor and a friend, offering guidance and support in these bleak times.

"Thanks, Kaito," Ryota said quietly, breaking the silence once more. "For everything. Your advice, your training tips... they mean a lot."

"Shut it, kid. Just let me eat peacefully," Kaito grumbled and turned away from Raito. But as he turned, Raito could see a small twitch and the curving of Kaito's lips.

Ryota smiled at his reaction, and after drinking the water from the utensil, he lay down on the cold floor of the cell to get some shut eye.

Lying down on the cold floor, Ryota thought about the quest which he had to complete within the 45 days, and now only had twenty days left. The urgency of his mission weighed heavily on his mind, a constant reminder of the stakes involved.

Ryota had spent every waking moment carefully watching the guards and learning the routines of Impel Down. The grim fortress was a maze of hallways and cells, watched over by harsh wardens and guards who enjoyed the prisoners' suffering. Ryota knew every guard's schedule, their habits, and even the smallest changes in their routines.

His keen observation skills, sharpened by his ability called Focus, had allowed him to remember these details with impressive accuracy.The guards changed shifts every six hours, with a brief overlap of ten minutes. During this time, the guards were often less alert, busy exchanging information and gossip. It was a small window, but Ryota knew it was their best chance for a successful escape.

Ryota had also been thinking about how to bring Kaito with him. Kaito had become more than just a cellmate; he was a mentor and a friend, someone who had shared in his pain and offered priceless advice. Leaving him behind was unthinkable. Also Kaito's strength and experience would be essential once they were outside the prison walls. But convincing Kaito to join him would not be easy. The older man had a stubborn streak and a tiredness that came from years of hardship.

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