The 5% Reject: Rise of the Powerless Hero"

Chapter 6: The Ten-Year Promise

Hana sat on the edge of the hospital bed, her fingers clutching the white sheets until her knuckles turned white. She finally looked up, and for the first time, her eyes weren't mocking—they were burning with a fierce, competitive fire.

"Don't think this changes anything, Jack," she snapped, though her voice lacked its old cruelty. It was replaced by a new kind of intensity. "You saved me today because I was caught off guard. That will never happen again."

Jack raised an eyebrow, the hum of the Beyond System still warm in his chest. "Is that so?"

"I’m going to the National Hero Academy," Hana declared, standing up so fast she actually hovered a few inches off the floor. "I’m going to train until my wings can outrun lightning. I’m going to become so strong that you won't have to save me. In fact, I'll be the one looking down at you from the top."

Jack stood up to meet her gaze. He felt the +5 Agility making his movements fluid, almost predatory. "Then we have a deal. Ten years, Hana. Ten years of hellish training."

Hana smirked, sticking out her pinky finger—a childhood gesture they hadn't used in years. "Ten years. We meet at the National Hero Academy Entrance Exam. If you even make it that far without a quirk."

Jack locked his pinky with hers. "I'll be there. And I won't be coming as a spectator."

[ PROLOGUE COMPLETE ]

[ NEW MAIN QUEST: THE DECADE OF THE REJECT ]

[ OBJECTIVE: COMPLETE 3,650 DAYS OF BEYOND-LIMIT TRAINING ]

[ SUB-GOAL: PASS THE NATIONAL HERO ACADEMY ENTRANCE EXAM ]

[ PROGRESS: DAY 1/3650 ]

The next decade became a blur of broken bones and shattered limits. While Hana was praised as a prodigy in elite middle schools, Jack became a ghost. Every morning at 4:00 AM, he ran until his lungs bled. Every night, he pushed his muscles until they tore, only to be knit back together by the System’s rewards.

He didn't just do push-ups anymore. He did them with boulders on his back. He didn't just run; he raced against trains.

[ YEAR 1... YEAR 5... YEAR 10... ]

[ 10-YEAR TRAINING COMPLETE! ]

[ TOTAL LEVEL REACHED: 10 ]

[ NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: 'VOID STEP' ]

[ EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION: ENTRANCE EXAM DAY HAS ARRIVED ]

[ REWARD FOR REGISTRATION: SYSTEM INVENTORY UNLOCKED ]

Jack stood at the massive gates of the National Hero Academy. He was no longer the small, trembling boy from the park. He was taller, his frame lean and packed with dense, explosive muscle that seemed to hum with hidden power.

He swiped his hand, and for the first time, a new tab appeared on his screen.

[ INVENTORY UNLOCKED: 0/50 SLOTS ]

Notice: You can now store items, weapons, and potions in sub-space.

"Hey, Reject."

A voice came from above. A woman with shimmering, majestic wings of light descended from the clouds, landing perfectly in front of him. Hana had grown into a powerhouse, her aura radiating pure mana.

She looked Jack up and down, her eyes widening as she felt the sheer physical pressure coming off him. "You actually showed up."

Jack adjusted his collar, a calm, dangerous smile on his face. "I told you, Hana. I wasn't going to stay behind