The morning air was sharp, a small feeling of night still buried inside it. The sky was dull grey, the sun yet to rise fully.
But Ryan was already outside, standing at the edge of the footpath near his apartment.
He glanced down at the glowing system screen floating in front of him.
[Quest in Progress: Daily Mobility Challenge]
[Progress:]
[Walk 5,000 steps to school – 0 / 5,000]
[Run 500 meters – Pending]
He exhaled slowly, feeling the stiffness in his legs from yesterday's gruesome workout.
"Alright, I'll do it," he whispered under his breath, tugging the straps of his backpack tightly onto his shoulder. "Let's fucking get this over with."
The moment he started walking, he realized how badly his legs hurt. By the time he hit 1,000 steps, he was already panting, legs screaming in agony.
His shirt clung to his back, his forehead dripped like a leaking faucet.
'I never knew that walking could be this difficult,' he thought, wiping sweat from his eyebrow. 'I always took a train or a cab to travel. This fucking sucks, man…'
His legs felt heavier than bricks, his breath came short and sharp.
[Only 4,000 more steps, host.]
"Fuck you, bitch system," Ryan growled. "You walk, then. If it's just 4,000 steps."
But he didn't stop. He kept going—step by step.
He clenched his jaw and kept the rhythm. Left foot, right foot, repeat.
Every step sounded like a personal insult to his ego, each crack in the pavement mocking his very existence.
When he hit 2,500 steps, a new alert chimed in his mind.
[DING!]
[Quest Update – 2,500 Steps Completed – 50% Done]
[Good going, Host. Don't stop now.]
Ryan blinked a few times, a small smile creeping onto his sweat-slick face.
'Halfway there,' he thought. 'I'm really doing it this time…'
It was the first time in years he'd felt so proud of himself for doing something.
He picked up the pace, pushing past the ache in his thighs and calves. The streets slowly started to get busier—school kids, street vendors, cyclists—
Cyclists.
Ryan's heart froze.
Up ahead, turning the corner, were them.
Josh and Amit. Those two bastards who had kicked the living shit out of him just two days ago.
Laughing, talking. One of them had a breakfast roll in his hand.
The other was on a cycle, pedaling lazily. Their backpacks slung on their shoulders like nothing mattered to them.
Ryan's breath stopped for a second—pure instinct. His body froze.
'Shit, not now…' His heart thudded against his ribcage like sticks on a drum. 'I can't deal with this right now…'
He took a few steps back, lowered his head, and waited for them to pass. His eyes stayed glued to the sidewalk.
They didn't notice him. They rode past.
Only after they were gone did he let out a breath of relief. His palms were sweaty, fists clenched tight.
He stared at the ground for a while.
'Soon,' he thought, 'I'll be strong enough to walk past them without flinching. One day… I'll make them all afraid to even look me in the eyes.'
And with that thought, Ryan continued walking towards the school.
Step after step.
Until finally—
[DING!]
[Quest Progress: Walk 5,000 Steps – COMPLETE]
He stopped in front of the school gate, hands on his knees, panting so hard it felt like his lungs would burst any second.
He leaned against a lamppost, completely drenched in sweat.
"I did it… I fucking finally did it…" he whispered to himself.
[Don't stop now, host. You've still got a 500-meter run left.]
Ryan lifted his head a little, eyes widening in disbelief.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me."
[I do not joke about fitness. Complete the run before class starts and get a bonus reward.]
Ryan cursed loudly. "This is so much bullshit."
[Do you want to be strong or not?]
He bit his tongue. His legs felt like jelly, but his pride burned hotter.
"Fine… let's fucking run to the school."
He threw his bag over his shoulder, gritted his teeth, and started sprinting down the sidewalk around the school block.
Every breath burned, every step screamed, but he didn't stop.
He ran like he was chasing the life he'd never had.
Like he was racing away from the loser he used to be.
And after what felt like forever, Ryan stumbled into the school grounds, gasping, sweat dripping from his nose bridge, arms, chin—everything.
He looked around. No teacher in sight.
The classroom door was still open.
He dragged himself in, collapsed onto his chair in the back row, and dropped his bag on the floor like a corpse hitting the ground.
The bell hadn't rung yet.
'Yes… I finally made it.'
[DING!]
[Quest Complete: Daily Mobility Challenge]
[Walked 5,000 steps]
[Ran 500 meters]
[Reached before 9:00 AM – Bonus Objective Achieved]
[Rewards Gained:]
[+2 kg fat burned]
[Boosted stamina recovery]
[Endurance minor upgrade]
[Current Weight: 86 kg]
[Hidden Reward: Skill Acquired – Boxing Jab – E Rank (Upgradable)]
Ryan blinked. 'Boxing… Jab?' he repeated in his mind.
'What the hell kind of name is that?'
[A unique skill, host. Grants a spring-loaded jab that scales with speed and weight. Excellent for slapping the smug off someone's face. Upgradable with usage.]
A grin started to form on Ryan's tired, sweaty face.
He slowly looked down at his trembling hands.
'86 kgs…'
He was losing weight, he was getting stronger, and now… he even had his first skill.
Ryan West—the loser, the fatass, the punching bag—was changing slowly.