The Ultimate Kryptonian Interface

The next day, Knox steps out of his room with sharp determination etched across his face. As he makes his way to his personal training room, Kaelina's teasing voice echoes in his mind.

"Since you skipped a day of training, you'll need to double everything today," she chimes. "And because I'm feeling generous, I'll make it a quest. The reward? A one-percent increase to your Superman Template. You're currently at seven percent."

Knox raises an eyebrow, his tone laced with skepticism. "Didn't you say quests are for important or worthy things?"

"They are," Kaelina replies with a mischievous tone. "For those, I'd grant you five percent or more. This? This is just to keep you disciplined."

Knox rolls his eyes but smirks faintly. "You're impossible."

When he enters the training room, a sleek panel catches his attention beside the door. A note taped to it reads: Your gravity training room is complete. Input a number to increase gravity beyond Earth's level.

He presses a few buttons, retracting his suit, and sets the gravity to 2x Earth's gravity. The weight immediately pulls hum down, his knees bending slightly. "It's working," he mutterers before diving into his workout.

His routine is brutal:

20,000 push-ups

20,000 sit-ups

20,000 squats

A 2,000-kilometer run, completed by circling the massive room

When he finishes, sweat drips from his brow, but a grin spreads across his face. Without hesitation, he increases the gravity to 3x Earth's gravity and begins shadowboxing. Every punch and kick is deliberate as he trains his balance, reflexes, and precision.

Kaelina interrupts his focus. "Don't stop now. Add some handstand push-ups." 

Knox groans but complies, pushing through the grueling exercise. Finally, a notification appears: Quest Complete. +1% to Superman Template.

He catches his breath, re-equips his suit, and heads to the Architect's Forge.

Upon arrival, Knox spots Max and his team surrounding a red combat robot, its cyclopean design featuring a single glowing eye that pulsates with a faint red hue. It's sleek, humanoid frame is reinforced with segmented armor plating, each joint engineered for maximum flexibility and durability.

"What are you working on?" Knox asks, intrigued.

Max looks up from a nearby console, his hands smudged with grease. "It's a combat robot. We're designing it to train our members in fighting techniques and to test their strength."

Knox's lips curl into a smirk. "Mind if I try it out?"

Max hesitates for a moment. "Sure, but... please hold back. You might break it."

He types commands into the console, and the tubes attached to the robot detach with a hiss. Knox asks Kaelina to lock his powers.

"Alright," she says. "But be careful"

Knox assumes a fighting stance, and the robot's glowing eye brightens as it mirrors his posture.

Without warning, the two clash. Knox lunges, but the robot sidesteps with inhuman precision and counters with a swift punch. Knox blocks, only to be caught off-guard as the robot flips onto its hands and delivers a double-kick that sends him flying. Before Knox can recover, the robot grabs his legs midair and slams him into the ground with staggering force.

Knox quickly recovers, breathing heavily. Max and his team—Isaiah, Jonathan, Alex, and Mary—observe the fight closely, jotting down notes.

Knox charges again, this time feinting a punch and following up with a kick. The robot evades the punch and counters with a kick aimed at Knox's head. Knox ducks and sweeps its legs, but the robot plants its hands on the ground, flipping back into the air. As it descends, it attempts a powerful axe kick, cracking the floor when Knox narrowly dodges.

The battle escalates, the two trading blows with blinding speed. Knox grits his teeth, managing to dodge some of the robot's strikes while landing only a few of his own. Finally, he raises his hand, signaling Max to shut it down.

Max approaches the console and types in the command. "Not bad," he says, nodding approvingly. "But the robot isn't finished yet. We still need to upload more fighting styles into its database and set difficulty levels, from Beginner to Master."

"How long will it take?" Knox asks, wiping sweaty from his brow.

"A few hours," Max replies.

Knox nods. "When it's ready, make it tougher and send it to my personal training room. Build another ten for the members and instruct them on how to use it properly so they don't break it."

Max salutes in acknowledgement, and Knox departs. As his powers return he flies back to his training room. Without hesitation, he increases the gravity to 5x Earth's gravity and resumes his relentless training, pushing himself beyond his limits.