SWNOVELXO Chapter 7: Human Engine
Having no job meant Ace could train whenever he wanted. His body ached from the dojo workouts, yet he still pushed harder.
He hit the neighborhood calisthenics park for pull‑ups and other basics. His new crew trained with him.
Their matching black tracksuits and shaved heads spooked passers‑by, so Ace made them wear caps. They even ordered caps that said "Don Capo," which got kids laughing. When kids laughed, adults chuckled too and wished the group a good workout.
The guys froze whenever someone cheered. Alex blinked, unsure whether to smile or scowl, and the others' faces twisted.
"What's this feeling?" they muttered.
A week had passed since Ace took them in. Like him, they drilled different martial arts.
Discipline had started to sink in. The simple fact that strangers treated them like normal people hit harder than any punch. Kids even laughed and slapped their shiny heads.
"It must be because of Don Capo's caps."
"We also don't reek of cigs!"
"Our breath isn't stinky with beer!"
"I just thought of something epic!" Alex shouted, waving his cap with a big grin. "We can sell Don Capo's caps and start our own bodyguard service—Don Capo's Guard!"
"Bro, you're a genius!"
Life no longer felt pointless. The crew smiled in the sun and chased their new dreams, all tied to one man—Ace.
While Ace did sit‑ups, he chuckled at their schemes. The thought of the coming apocalypse wiped the grin away.
Maybe I should start a guild? I skipped that in my first life—I couldn't lead and grind skills at the same time. But this run could be different. A guild just for me, aimed at a better life.
He knew hard days were coming. Still, he wondered how much better he could make life—for himself and maybe for others. A purpose‑built guild might help him make this second chance different from his first life.
How will these guys fare in the Chessboard Apocalypse? I never saw anyone like them in my first life. They must have died early or stayed lucky nobodies.
A blue window popped in front of his eyes:
[You have obtained a new passive skill—Human Engine (I)]
Ace finally scored a body‑based skill. Those were rare. He stopped his sit‑ups, sat upright, and tapped the screen while grabbing his water bottle.
[Human Engine (I) — Every workout earns "gears" that your body spends to repair and tighten muscles, speeding growth.]
That's why skills like this are so rare and more difficult to obtain. Now I can stack points and cover any gaps in my routine.
His other combat skills—Spear, Archery, and Dagger Proficiency—sat at level three and deepened what he already knew. Spear Proficiency branched into two nodes: Javelin, boosting his throws, and Quick Recovery, speeding his stance shifts. Stacked with the Attack Speed passive, his spear work kept amazing Chaewon's dad. With Human Engine on top, he would grow even faster. Confidence surged with every passive he logged.
Yet a tug pulled at his chest. Some inner voice whispered that he was missing something. The feeling grew whenever he glanced at his crew—or spoke with Chaewon and her dad.
Am I doing enough to prep them for the Chessboard Apocalypse? I don't even know which Gate they'll hit first. Chaewon kept quiet about hers. If I warn them, they'll think I'm nuts. Should I drag them into my first Gate instead?
In two months and three weeks Ace would step onto that subway. Last life he was headed to a job interview; this time he wanted the same Gate. The whole train would vanish, dumping every rider into a new realm with strange rules.
That meant he could, in theory, bring the whole crew with him.
In the First Gates, new rankers got classes to speed up their growth. Each class had its own purpose and a starter skill. Getting a skill out of thin air boosted their courage, and the sharp ones used it to grow even stronger.
I should prep 'em better for each class. That's it!
His conscience still tugged at him, but the weight eased. Excitement bubbled up—he'd found a path that could help him and the crew. Building a guild felt real now—and even exciting.