NOVEL NEXT Chapter 32
Lock met Levi's gaze head-on. Those cold eyes carried a faint arrogance, and perhaps even a hint of envy. Instead of flinching, Lock smiled faintly.
"I'm fourteen."
"Yeah." Levi's tone was flat, unreadable. "Erwin wants me to test how much progress you've made. Let's start with hand-to-hand."
The words had barely left his mouth before Levi lunged. No warning, no time to prepare—just speed. His shorter frame made his movements sharp and deceptively fast, his fist cutting straight for Lock.
Lock twisted back, just out of reach, then surged forward with a counterpunch.
"Bang!"
Their blows collided with a bone-jarring crack. The impact rattled Lock's arms, forcing him back five, six steps before he could steady himself. Across from him, Levi slid only two steps before planting his feet.
Lock's expression hardened. For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt genuine pressure.
Levi, meanwhile, kept his expression cool, but inside he was unsettled. From childhood, he'd never met anyone his age who could match him. Even as a boy, he had stood above adults. And yet this kid—a boy ten years younger—was forcing him back.
No wonder Erwin was interested.
Levi exhaled slowly, calming his thoughts. He came at Lock again, this time faster.
The courtyard filled with the sound of fists and boots colliding, a rhythm of impact and defiance. From the sidelines, Klaus narrowed his eyes.
"I thought I had a clear measure of Lock's talent…" he muttered. "But this is beyond anything I expected. Still… he's too raw. Power alone won't topple Levi."
As if to prove him right, the stalemate suddenly broke. Levi blurred past Lock's guard, caught his wrist, and with a fluid motion hurled him over his shoulder.
The world spun. Lock hit the ground hard, air forced from his lungs in a grunt.
It was the first time since he arrived that anyone had spoken to him in that manner. But instead of anger, excitement stirred in his chest. Finally—an opponent who could push him.
He sprang back to his feet, eyes blazing. "Again!"
Levi paused, caught off guard by the boy's look. The fire, the hunger to fight—it was familiar. Too familiar. A name slipped unbidden to his lips. "Fran…"
Lock didn't waste the opening. He lunged, mimicking Levi's earlier throw, locking onto his wrist. He turned, ready to slam him down—only for a sharp kick at his ankle to break his balance. Levi's voice was calm, almost mocking.
"Too young."
Lock hissed at the jolt of pain, but shook it off and attacked again, relentless.
Levi's lips twitched in the faintest smile. Stubborn, reckless, unwilling to quit—Lock reminded him of the friend he'd lost long ago.
This time, Levi stopped holding back. Years of street fights in the Underground had forged his style into something brutal and efficient. He pressed Lock hard, each move designed to punish mistakes.
Lock staggered under the assault, but he refused to yield. His body absorbed blow after blow, his stamina and resilience dragging the fight into a grueling war of attrition. He learned with every strike, adapting, adjusting, refusing to go down.
At last, his body gave out. Breathing ragged, bruises burning across his frame, he dropped to one knee. And yet, his eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
He had pushed himself to the edge. He had grown.
From the corner of his vision, system text flickered faintly before his mind:
"You did not falter in the face of a stronger foe. You endured and pushed beyond your limits. Fighting skills +1. Impact resistance +2."
Lock clenched his fists, forcing himself to stand. His eyes locked on Levi again, fiery with determination.
Levi, chest heaving from exertion, caught that look—and almost cursed himself for coming here.
"Tch. That stare… what a troublesome brat."
Yet beneath the annoyance, a glint of respect lingered. Lock wasn't just strong. He was still only fourteen. With time, he could become something terrifying.
And that thought, more than anything, made Levi uneasy.
---
A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
Support: patreon.com/Narrator_San