Ryuu's Bedroom – 6:02 a.m.
I woke up with a weird buzzing in my skull. Like a notification pop-up trapped inside my brain.
Blinking against the light, my vision flickered with a ghostly blue overlay—my personal System UI kicking in before I even had my morning coffee.
[Vitality: 41/100]
[Sleep Posture: "Disaster" (–15 Laziness Modifier)]
[Mood: "Ehh…"]
I groaned. "Even my sleep's being graded now?" I muttered, eyes half-shut, feeling like I'd been run over by a digital steamroller.
The System pinged again, more insistent.
[Mission: Initiate Day 1 of Otaku Muscle Booster Lv.1]
Objective: Complete Physical & Spiritual Training Set – 100%
Failure Penalty: Emotional Flatline + Permanent NPC Status
Congratulations," the mascot grinned. "You've reached the Minimum Pathetic Threshold to begin cultivation. Prepare for pain, sweat, and very awkward stretches!"
Great. So no more being a lazy background character.
I rolled over and spotted the corner of my phone blinking a reminder.
"You've got this, Ryuu."
Who programmed the pep talk? My ex?
Dragging my limbs from under the blankets felt like trying to reboot a frozen game. My muscles protested louder than an angry mob after a server crash.
As I sat on the edge of the bed, the System UI flickered to life again.
A tiny 3D chibi avatar popped up, wearing what looked like a muscle suit and a cape, doing squats with exaggerated anime sweat drops.
"Welcome to Otaku Muscle Booster Lv.1,"it chirped in a high-pitched, cheerful tone.
"Complete today's training to unlock Body Refinement Tier 1!"
I stared at the little animated guy doing perfect push-ups and thought, I look nothing like that.
"Training," I scoffed, rubbing my sore neck. "Sounds like someone just discovered cardio."
The System had no chill.
[Reminder: Laziness Penalty Active – (-15) Initiative Rolls]
[Hint: Physical Activity Boosts Karma and Unlocks New Abilities]
I sighed. Getting out of bed now felt like starting a boss fight without any health potions.
"Fine," I muttered. "Let's see what this 'Body Refinement' nonsense is about."
I stood up, wobbling like a newborn NPC.
"First step: move your body. Second step: don't embarrass yourself in front of your own system."
With that, I clicked the 'Start Training' button on my phone and braced myself for whatever the system had in store.
The school gym smelled like a mix of old sneakers, burnt-out dreams, and way too much body spray. Perfect.
I stepped inside, heart already pounding—not from excitement, but from the looming threat of actual physical exertion.
Last time I did anything remotely athletic, I was fourteen, and the only thing I was good at was disappearing from dodgeball games. Not by skill, mind you, but by pure, unadulterated stealth.
My past failures flashed before me like a bad highlight reel: tripping over my own feet, gasping like a fish out of water during runs, and that one time Coach almost made me do laps again.
I gritted my teeth.
"Okay, Ryuu. This is it. Level 0 no more."
I shuffled to the stretching area, following the System's holographic avatar doing perfect anime stretches. Mine looked more like a flailing puppet having a seizure.
[SYSTEM ALERT: Penalty Incoming –3 Confidence, –10 Karma, –2 Charm]
Yeah, thanks for the support.
I forced myself into a push-up position, arms shaking so bad I was pretty sure I looked like I was trying to do some kind of interpretive dance.
"1… 2… nope. Definitely not 3."
My lungs screamed. My arms betrayed me.
The System chimed again.
[Physical Stat Boost Reward: +1 Strength, +1 Endurance]
*[Pain Resistance: 3% Unlocked]
Small wins.
I wiped sweat from my forehead and tried squats. Let's just say gravity didn't cut me any slack.
By the time I moved to breathwork, my legs were jelly, and I was questioning every life choice that led me to this moment.
But then, something weird happened.
My vision blurred. The gym sounds faded to a quiet hum. The steady rhythm of my breathing synced up with the glowing pulse in my dantian—a faint blue light under my ribs, like a power bar charging up.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Cultivation Path – Body Refinement Tier 1 – 12% Complete]
I blinked, still gasping for air.
"Alright, not too shabby," I muttered.
The System wasn't just some nagging AI. It was… alive. And it wanted me to be alive too.
I grinned despite myself.
"Day one. Not dead yet."
I limped out of the gym, every muscle screaming like I'd just survived a boss fight without any armor. Sweat dripped down my back, soaking through my shirt like a bad cosplay.
At the vending machines near the school entrance, I spotted Hinami — that quiet, anime-loving girl who somehow made social awkwardness look like an art form.
She glanced up and caught my sorry state instantly.
"You look… almost human," she said, smirking like she was trying not to laugh.
I tried to play it cool, wiped the sweat off my forehead with a shaky hand, and gave a weak thumbs-up. "Just... leveling up."
My legs nearly gave out. Not quite the heroic entrance I was aiming for.
Hinami's eyes twinkled with something — maybe amusement, maybe curiosity. "You know, it's rare to see you actually move more than from your chair to the snack table."
I felt heat rush to my cheeks but masked it with a grin.
"Well, the System's got me on some 'Body Refinement' quest. Can't let it think I'm lazy."
She tilted her head, genuinely intrigued. "Sounds intense. Don't overdo it, or you'll end up like those guys who think push-ups are a personality."
"Thanks for the encouragement," I muttered, limping to grab a bottle of water.
We stood there in a quiet bubble of awkwardness and sweat. It wasn't much — just two kids pretending the world wasn't watching.
But for the first time, I felt a thread of connection.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Affection +3]
[Romance Route: Mild Curiosity > Budding Interest]
Hinami gave me a small nod before walking away.
I watched her go, my heartbeat syncing with the faint blue glow in my chest.
Maybe… just maybe… this reboot wasn't so bad after all.
I crashed onto my bed like a pixelated hero after a brutal raid—every muscle whining in protest. The room was dark, but my vision flickered as the System interface booted up again. No rest for the rebooted.
[SYSTEM ALERT: Final Training Session – Meditation Module Activated]
"Seriously? Meditation? I can barely sit still," I muttered, flinging the covers off.
The interface showed a serene virtual space—an ancient dojo floating in digital mist. My avatar stood still, eyes closed. The System insisted.
"Begin Inner Breathing Node Lv.1."
I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to sync with the calming rhythm it set. My breath was shallow at first—panic from the day still bubbling under my skin.
But then something changed. A pulse. A hum. My heartbeat started to match the faint blue glow in my chest.
I saw it—my dantian, that mythical energy center, flickering like a loading screen. The System explained in its deadpan way:
[Inner Energy Detected: 13% Capacity]
[Body Refinement Pathway: 26% Synced]
[Training Efficiency +10% when Emotionally Motivated]
I cracked a smirk. "Okay, System. You win this round. But if I can't walk tomorrow… I'm suing."
Despite myself, I felt something flicker inside—not just pain or fatigue, but a small spark. A reboot wasn't just about muscles or stats. It was about rewiring everything.
I lay back, letting the quiet hum lull me.
Tomorrow would be another grind.
balance: chaotic, heartfelt, and hilarious.
"To upgrade your romance potential, you must first uninstall 'Weakness.exe.'"
–System Message
System HUD: Cultivation Pathway Chart Loaded
☯ Cultivation Path: Emotional-Tech Hybrid Ascension ☯
Stage 1 – Body Refinement(where you stop being a noodle)
Stage 2 – Neural Sync(where your brain stops lagging)
Stage 3 – Spirit Integration(become less emotionally constipated)
Stage 4 – AI Symbiosis(merge with your digital partner(s)))
Stage 5 – Quantum Godmind(literally ascend beyond genre logic)
New System App Unlocked: Otaku Muscle Booster (Lv. 1)]
Description: "Get shredded enough to survive love triangles and demon attacks."
Ding.
A system alarm blared, followed by GLiTCH's synthetic voice shouting:
GLiTCH floated above him in a sleeveless gi, fake biceps taped to his pixel body.
Ryuu groaned. "This feels illegal."
Ryuu blinked blearily at the glowing interface.
"…You made that last part up."
"Only slightly."
Ryuu ran awkwardly in sweatpants, panting like a dying Roomba.
[Otaku Muscle Booster: 9% Synced]
Buff: "Minor Sweat = Moderate EXP"
Side Effect: "Every step feels like emotional trauma"
"Why does love require cardio?" he wheezed.
GLiTCH floated beside him with a protein shake labeled "Tears of Rivals."
"Because romance is war, and you can't dodge a confession if your ankles snap from sprinting."
Ryuu tripped over his own shadow. Again.
[You have gained: +1 Agility! -1 Dignity!]
Later that day – School Courtyard
Ryuu stood straighter. His arms felt heavier—not stronger yet, but less disappointingly hollow.
And weirdly, he felt like he could… breathe. Like a fog was lifting.
Even Kaoru (the delinquent tsundere) glanced his way once during lunch.
"…Did you get taller?"
Ryuu blinked. "Huh? No. I mean, maybe. I trained this morning."
She scoffed, cheeks faintly pink. "Don't get cocky, protein brain."
[Affection +1: "Takes himself seriously now (barely)."]
Evening – Rooftop, Alone
Ryuu wiped sweat from his forehead as he finished push-up #32 (which was, frankly, a record).
A soft wind stirred.
[Body Refinement Progress: 31%]
Reward Unlocked: "Pain Tolerance – Level 1"
Passive Skill: "Stubborn Heart – Delays mental crashes by 3 seconds"
He laid back, staring at the glitching stars.
And for once, something inside him didn't feel like a game over screen.
"…Maybe I really can reboot."
[Character Update: You are no longer Level 0.]
[You are now: Lv. 1 – Beginner Otaku Warrior]
As Ryuu walks home, sweaty and sore, a flicker appears behind a school window—
Hinami.
Watching from the shadows, hands pressed against the glass, her expression unreadable.
"He's changing…"
"But will it be fast enough to save me?"