She Used Me for a Dare… Now I Own Her Mother

Alex stood alone in the corner of the underground training hall, the echoes of the intense spar still fading from the walls. The others had left to shower and recover, giving him the silence he needed.

He stared at the translucent blue screen floating in front of him, visible only to his eyes.

[Battle Sense: 93%]

The number glowed mockingly, unchanged despite everything he had just put himself through. No matter how hard he focused, it refused to move.

’What now?’ he questioned himself, jaw tightening. ’I pushed Viktor to his limit. I read every single move like it was written in advance. My body responded perfectly. And still... nothing.’

The Adaptive Body had turned him into a monster in training, but the system that granted it now felt silent, almost indifferent.

Alex clenched his fists, feeling the perfect harmony in his muscles, the way his mind processed combat in slow motion. 93% should have felt like victory.

Instead, it felt like a cage.

He exhaled slowly, trying to push down the frustration boiling inside him. Viktor’s proud words still rang in his ears, the cheers from Damien and the others still fresh. They saw a champion.

But only he knew the truth. If he couldn’t push his Battle Sense to 100%, he couldn’t advance to the next realm.

And he needed to break through that barrier as soon as possible. He had already interacted with too many strong people... once they decided to truly come after him, he would need Viktor to save him again. He hated relying on that.

When he stepped into the real awakened world, he would face people far more powerful than anything in the Enhanced Realm. He couldn’t afford to stay stuck here.

’There has to be something more. Real fights. Higher stakes. Or maybe... something the system hasn’t revealed yet.’

The blue screen flickered once, as if responding to his thoughts, but no new notifications appeared. Just the same stagnant 93%.

Alex turned away from the empty sparring area, his mind already racing toward what came next.

A heavy but familiar hand settled on his shoulder.

He turned to find Viktor standing right behind him, the older man’s presence calm and steady, as if he had been there the whole time.

Viktor’s sharp eyes studied Alex’s face for a long moment, reading the frustration he tried so hard to hide.

"You’re thinking too loudly, Alex," Viktor said quietly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

There was no judgment in his tone... only deep understanding and quiet pride.

Alex didn’t bother denying it. He simply met Viktor’s gaze.

Viktor gave his shoulder a firm squeeze before letting go, stepping around to face him properly.

"You don’t need to worry so much, Alex. Not yet." His voice was low, warm, and laced with the weight of experience. "You’ve already improved at a speed that’s... unbelievable. Hell, it’s almost frightening. In just few weeks you’ve gone from talented to something the rest of us can barely keep up with. That kind of growth? Most awakened never see it in their entire lifetime."

He paused, letting the words sink in, his eyes shining with genuine admiration.

"You should give yourself some credit. What you’ve accomplished in this short time... it’s nothing short of extraordinary. I’ve trained a lot of promising fighters over the years, but none of them burned as brightly as you. I’m proud of you. More than you know."

Alex’s jaw tightened slightly, the 93% still burning in his mind.

Viktor seemed to sense it immediately. He continued, his tone shifting into that of a true mentor — firm, respectful, and deeply caring.

"As for pushing further... that kind of breakthrough doesn’t come from training mats and controlled sparring. These fights here?" He gestured around the reinforced hall. "They’re safe. Predictable. You dominate them because there’s no real danger breathing down your neck. But when you step into a real death match... when your life is truly on the line... that’s when everything changes. Your senses sharpen. Your instincts evolve. You start seeing the flow of battle in ways you can’t even imagine right now."

Viktor placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder again, this time with the steady strength of someone passing on hard-earned wisdom.

"You’re already standing at the edge of something greater. The next realm is calling to you. Trust the process. Danger will come — it always does in our world. And when it does, you’ll break through that wall. Not because you forced it... but because you’ll have no choice but to become stronger."

He stepped back, crossing his arms with a small, confident nod.

"And when that moment arrives, I’ll be right here watching you surpass even me. Just like you surpassed everything I taught you today."

The words hung in the air between them... heavy with respect, admiration, and quiet belief.

For the first time since the system screen refused to move, Alex felt a small crack in the frustration weighing him down.

Alex listened to Viktor’s words in silence, letting them settle deep in his chest. The frustration that had been clawing at him eased, if only a little. He gave a slow, respectful nod, meeting the older man’s eyes with genuine appreciation.

"Thank you," Alex said quietly, his voice steady. "I really needed that."

He paused for a moment, searching for the right words before continuing.

"I’m really grateful for your guidance, Viktor. Not just today... these past weeks, everything. I needed it more than I realized, and I know I’ll still need it in the future too. No matter what realm I reach, or how strong I become... you’ll always be my mentor."

The sincerity in his tone was unmistakable. There was no flattery, only honest respect.

Viktor’s weathered face softened further. For a second, the hardened fighter looked almost fatherly. He let out a low chuckle and clapped Alex firmly on the shoulder once more.

"You’ve got a good head on your shoulders. And a stronger heart than most." His voice carried quiet pride. "I’ll be here as long as you need me. Mentor, ally, whatever you call it... we’re in this together."

The two men stood in comfortable silence for a moment, the bond between master and student feeling more solid than ever. The underground hall, still bearing the scars of their earlier clash, suddenly felt less like a place of limits and more like a stepping stone.

Alex felt a renewed sense of purpose stirring within him.

The 93% wall was still there, but Viktor’s words had reminded him that walls were meant to be shattered.

Alex gave Viktor one last respectful nod, a small but determined smile touching his lips.

"I’ll keep your words in mind," he said. "Thank you again... for everything. I’ll see you soon."

Viktor returned the nod with a warm, knowing look. "Go get some rest. You’ve earned it."

Alex turned and headed toward the exit of the underground training hall, his steps carrying a renewed energy. The weight on his shoulders felt lighter, the frustration no longer choking him.

’Viktor was right,’ he thought as he pushed open the heavy door and stepped into the cooler corridor. ’I was worrying too much, too soon. This kind of growth... it’s already insane. I just need to trust the process.’

He pushed the lingering thoughts about the 93% wall to the back of his mind. There would be time for that later.

Right now, he had something else to look forward to.

Tomorrow was Convocation Day — the official graduation ceremony where they would finally receive their degrees. After fifteen long days since the exams ended, the ordinary Chapter of his student life was coming to a close.

But Alex already knew it wasn’t going to be just a normal day.

Sophia had contacted him earlier that evening... almost begging for another chance to talk. Her voice on the call had been unusually soft, laced with urgency and promise as she told him she had prepared "one last gift" for him. Something special to mark the end of their university days.

He had only agreed after receiving a separate call from Catherine. And now, he had decided to see what Sophia was really up to.

These past days, Alex had sensed that Sophia was planning something big.

Surprisingly, his instincts told him it wasn’t against him this time. Maybe it had something to do with Marcus... tying up loose ends, or shifting alliances in ways that could benefit them both.

A low chuckle escaped his lips as another thought crossed his mind.

Then there was Natalia Steele. The woman had been quietly begging to meet him again, her messages growing more desperate with each passing day. After their explosive encounter, she must have benefited immensely — her body and perhaps even her own hidden powers awakened further by his essence.

Now she couldn’t seem to live without his seed.

The crude but accurate thought made him laugh under his breath, a deep, amused sound that echoed softly in the quiet street.

Tomorrow is going to be eventful, to say the least.