Amid memories of the second Gate, Ace clung to the moments when he had held her. He cradled her after they cleared the Gate, held her in bed, and finally gripped her corpse after she fell in the third Gate.
Those scenes stamped his first life with purpose. He once again saw that she, along with others, had shown him there was more to living than survival. A flood of feelings rushed in, yet the one that should fit—love—never surfaced.
[Second Flaw: As an A‑Ranker, Ace Avalanche shall be romantically detached.]
Because of the flaw, the memories shifted. They no longer moved him. Instead, sorrow he couldn’t name slammed into him like an avalanche. He stared into the woman’s eyes and startled her.
We’re back to being strangers. I just confused her, maybe even scared her. The past is the past. I know she and her father will survive the first Gate, and that I can trust them. I’m curious... can a weak human like me change her future?
Instead of feeling protective, Ace wondered if saving her in the second Gate could bend fate. Many theories insisted the future was fixed. Those fated to die would still die.
I came back to fix my life. If she survives, this sorrow should fade. I don’t want regrets. So all I need to do is keep grinding my skills.
"Yeah. I wanna learn some martial arts," Ace said. "Let me use your equipment and your experience. If it helps, I’ll join your dojo."
"Wonderful! Did you bring a change of clothes?" the woman asked.
"Great! Come in, and I’ll show you around. I’m Chaewon. It’s a pleasure to meet you." She handed him several forms.
"I’m Ace. Nice to meet you, Chaewon," Ace said, pronouncing Chaewon’s name correctly and pleasantly surprising her.
The papers listed possible injuries and the dojo’s insurance plan. Ace signed them, then headed to the changing room.
In a T‑shirt and shorts, he warmed up for ten minutes. He faced a red punching bag that hung from a silver chain and wrapped his hands.
Only Chaewon and her father were present. They practiced their own drills but kept an eye on him, curious. Few visitors used the dojo simply to train without any guidance, and they liked to learn from such guests.
Ace drew a deep breath and fell into a boxing stance he’d picked up from a friend. A quick jab snapped the bag aside. When it swung back, he drove a straight, followed by a fierce uppercut and a hook. He repeated the combo, moving as if the bag could strike back.
Each punch boomed. Chaewon’s father dropped his pretense, crossed his arms, and stared.
"He looks thin, so where’s all that power coming from?" the man said. "Every punch is perfect. Makes me want to hit the bag and him myself."
Chaewon tapped his arm with a wooden sword. "Could you please keep that to yourself?"
Ace hammered the bag for several more minutes. When it swung away, glowing windows appeared.
[Your passive skill, Brawler (I), has leveled up to Brawler (II), unlocking a new node.]
[You have obtained a new passive skill—Attack Speed (I)]
A new node begs for kicks!
He spun and fired a half‑spin kick, shattering the translucent ranker’s window, then whipped the bag with a hook kick.
"Perfect Taekwondo!" Chaewon’s father blurted. "Your mother would love this."
Ace caught their words. Chaewon would learn Taekwondo only after the second Gate; right now she was still stiff with it.
He could have chosen other styles, yet something pushed him to use Taekwondo—something Chaewon and her father understood. He drilled Brawler until dusk, then bowed goodbye.
"Thanks for the hospitality. I’ll be back tomorrow as a proper member," he said.
"Thank you for giving us a chance! You taught us a lot, and we’ll repay you tomorrow. Anything new you want to learn, we’ll help. I specialize in Geomdo—the sword art inspired by Japanese kendo! Interested?"
"Sorry, but I’m more into spears, daggers, and archery," Ace replied.
Chaewon’s smile dimmed, though she masked it quickly. "Oh, I see. See you tomorrow, then!"
"See ya." He left the dojo.
Once the door closed, Chaewon turned to her father. "Should I learn Taekwondo?" she asked.