Joe exhaled as the crowd showered him with cheers, and a sharp wave of pain hit him at once. His legs buckled and he plopped to the ground. He unzipped the top of his uniform to examine his upper body.

  The sight left him stunned as large bruises stained his abdomen, chest, and arms. Each mark released an intense pulse of agony that made them hurt without him even touching them. All the damage he had taken from Steve had worsened now that it was mixed with the old man's blows. It was an unpleasant view, not too different from the wounds he had seen on Shelly.

  More concerning, however, were the internal injuries he had sustained. Joe could tell that each bone in his upper body was fractured, with many threatening to splinter at any moment. His cracked ribcage made it hard to breathe, and he was worried he could puncture one of his internal organs. He did his best not to aggravate the damage as he covered himself and lay gently on his back.

  Despite the wounds he had suffered, he could not help but chuckle to himself as he thought back on how fun the fight had been. Old man Charles had earned his respect.

  A few notifications popped up in his mind, proving that the encounter was not only enjoyable but also beneficial to his growth as a fighter.

  [Unclassified Skill Acquired: Instinctive Movement (Silver)]

  The first skill was expected, as it was the ability he had been working toward in his battle with Charles. It was still nice to see it officially registered by the system as confirmation that his efforts were fruitful. He could now move his body instinctively without relying purely on his eyes, which would help him greatly in the future when he encountered fast opponents he could not track with his senses. Joe could not wait to use the ability when he met Steve again so he could get his revenge, as the man had played a big role in the injuries currently plaguing his body.

  [Martial Skill Acquired: Crushing Gust (Bronze)]

  The second skill was the ability he had learned from Charles. It allowed him to tense his muscles and strike the air to launch a burst of wind toward his enemy. Joe was surprised he had been able to learn it despite it being a Martial Skill. As someone who did not possess a Martial Artist Specialty, that should have been impossible for him. He wondered if it had something to do with his unique body or maybe something else. That was another question he planned to ask the Goddess during their next encounter.

  [Title Unlocked: Martial Prodigy]

  ?? Condition: Acquire a Martial Skill without an instruction manual.

  ?? Reward: The rate at which you learn Martial Skills that you have witnessed with your own eyes is drastically increased.

  The title was great, as it made it easier for him to acquire more unarmed techniques in the future. Joe was eager to learn as many as he could before his battle with the Lord of the Woods. Being referred to as a prodigy also brought a smile to his face, as his uncle had told him he was useless and better off dead more times than he could count. It was nice to know that the Universe saw him differently. He shook his head and chased away the thought as he turned his attention back to the messages.

  [Dash (Unclassified) (Copper) Lvl 1 → Lvl 3]

  [Heavy Blow (Unclassified) (Copper) Lvl 1 → Lvl 5]

  [Dodge (Unclassified) (Copper) Lvl 1 → Lvl 3]

  [Body Control (Unclassified) (Copper) Lvl 1 → Lvl 4]

  [Pain Resistance (Unclassified) (Copper): Lvl 1 → Lvl 7]

  [Instinctive Movement (Unclassified) (Silver): Lvl 1 → Lvl 2]

  Joe was surprised to find that his skills could level up. He could tell each of them had gone through noticeable growth and that their efficiency had improved slightly with every level they acquired. It was a great way to view his progress and determine which skills needed more focus. All of them had risen marginally, with [Heavy Blow] and [Pain Resistance] achieving more growth, which did not surprise him as they were what he had relied on most in his battle with the old man.

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  After reviewing his messages, Joe pushed himself to stand. The pain from his wounds was still present, but [Pain Resistance] reduced it to a tolerable level. He circulated his essence throughout his body with [Spirit Flow] and drowned his bones in spirit energy. His hope was that the regenerative effect of his essence would help repair the cracks. It seemed to work, as Joe could feel his spirit energy flooding into the fractures as it attempted to seal them shut.

  [Spirit Flow (Specialty) (Silver): Lvl 1 → Lvl 2]

  Joe was aware it would likely take a few hours, but he was certain his bones would return to their original state, which was all he cared about. His gaze swept across the crowd, and he could see every inmate surrounding the stage looking at him with a mix of awe and respect. He walked over to Big Dog, who sat at the northern side of the stage.

  It was difficult to swallow his pride, but Joe managed to suppress it as he kneeled before the fat, ugly bastard. His expression was calm as he lowered his head in respect. This was more than just about him. To fulfill the mission Steve had given him, he had to be willing to do things that sacrificed his dignity.

  The fat, ugly bastard nodded with a smile on his face, no doubt pleased that Joe was willingly choosing to bend the knee.

  “You did well today, as you were the first ever to knock out more than thirty individuals and eliminate all the battle royal competitors by yourself. That has never transpired in the history of this competition. You should be proud of yourself.” Big Dog complimented him, leading all the inmates to clap their hands. “As a reward for your accomplishment, you can take these…” He dropped three full bags of the Smiling Devil.

  Joe accepted them graciously. “Thank you, Boss.”

  “You will now face the four winners from the other sections tonight in an encounter to determine which one of you will get a shot at becoming a Section King. May you make the East proud.”

  Joe could see a glimmer of acknowledgment and respect in Big Dog’s eyes, but he still carried the aura of superiority that suggested he could crush him like a bug at a moment’s notice. Joe was impressed that the bastard still possessed that much confidence even after witnessing his battle with the old man. He must have had unyielding faith in his strength, which was a quality Joe admired.

  His heart pounded loudly when he thought about the other battle royal winners from the other sections. He could not wait to find out how strong they were. A large part of him hoped they would be stronger than Old Man Charles, as that would only make their fight more exciting.

  He straightened and faced the crowd. Big Dog rose from his chair and stood beside him. His right hand clasped Joe’s left shoulder as he addressed the spectators with a serious expression. “This is Joe, the official second strongest member of the Eastern Section and now the Vice Commander to all of you. I expect that you treat him with the respect befitting his position, unless you want to end up like those losers writhing on the floor. You got it?”

  “Yes, Boss,” they all yelled in unison as they kneeled and displayed their respect.

  “Take it all in, boy. This is the sight at the summit.” Big Dog spoke with a smile on his face. “You have a lot of potential, and I have high hopes for you. If you stick by my side, you will go far.”

  “Yes, Boss,” Joe responded quietly.

  A few seconds later, the guards appeared to round up all the prisoners as the twenty minutes allocated for break time had concluded. Joe walked over to Charles, who had regained consciousness.

  “Hey, old man, before we go back to our cells, can you demonstrate to me how you generate so much power behind those strikes of yours?” He already had a basic understanding of how they were performed, but he wanted another look.

  To his surprise, the old man did not complain or refuse to show him his technique. He simply smiled and demonstrated his method as he punched the air with several different blows. As Joe watched him, he could see the finer details he had missed during their fight, and he committed all of them to memory.

  “Thanks. I think I’ve got it.”

  Charles nodded and began walking away. Joe felt sorry for the old man, not only for the injuries he had sustained from his blows, but for the fact that he was sick and would likely spend the rest of his life in this miserable place. He doubted many would pick on him now that they had witnessed his strength, but he still wanted to do something to help him get out of this prison.

  ‘I’ll speak to Steve. I’m sure there’s something he can do for him,’ he mused.

  On another note, despite having spent less than a day in this prison, Joe had unlocked several skills and even earned a title. As it turned out, being arrested was not the end of the world and was actually good for him. He had acquired a few skills that he likely would not have gained in another environment. He could only imagine how strong he would become by the time he left the prison. With a smile on his face, Joe joined the rest of the crowd as they were escorted back to their cells.