Leonard slept like a baby.
He had planned to wake up early and leave this shady guesthouse before sunrise. But after last night's "enhancement experience," his body felt so drained yet so satisfied that the moment he closed his eyes, he slipped straight into a deep sleep.
By the time his eyes fluttered open, the sunlight was already streaming in through the cracked wooden shutters behind his bed.
"Shit." Leonard rubbed his eyes, blinking against the brightness. He stretched his arms, and to his own surprise, he felt… refreshed.
Too refreshed.
It was as if he had slept for years.
For a brief moment, he forgot all about what happened to him. The only thing on his mind was the grumbling in his stomach.
Grrrrrrrrowl!
"Oh, fuck me, I'm starving." Leonard groaned and clutched his belly. He swung his legs off the bed, about to get up, when suddenly…
[Ding!]
A translucent panel popped right in front of his face. It nearly made him stumble back onto the bed.
'It's so early for this…'
[It's time for a new mission, Host!]
[New Mission Generated.]
[Mission: Improve Your Current Physique.]
[Details: The Enhancement Pill has optimized one of your traits. However, your current body is weak, sluggish, and unworthy of your newfound potential. The host must improve his physical condition through daily training.]
"What the hell, daily training?" Leonard muttered, squinting at the text.
The words on the screen changed immediately after he was done reading everything.
[Training Program Initiated.]
[30 Day Plan]
- Run 2 miles.
- 50 push-ups.
- 50 sit-ups.
- 50 squats.
- Stretching routine for recovery.
Leonard's jaw dropped.
"What am I? Some protagonist training for the apocalypse?"
The system didn't answer. Instead, another chime rang.
[Failure to complete the daily requirements will result in -1 Luck each day.]
[Complete the daily requirements to receive 1 Gold Coin as a reward.]
[Complete the full 30-day plan to receive: 1x Bronze Mystery Box and +2 Luck.]
"Damn…" Leonard scratched the back of his head, staring at the floating screen.
"In my last life, I didn't even set foot in the gym once. Not even once! And now you're telling me I gotta do this every single day? For thirty days straight?"
The thought alone made his shoulders slump. Still, the more he looked at it, the more he felt cornered.
'-1 Luck every day if I fail…' Leonard shuddered.
For a gambler like him, bad luck was something he absolutely didn't want. Especially not now. He already gambled his way through life once. Now, living with cursed luck sounded like hell itself.
And then there was the reward.
"One gold coin every day plus a mystery box at the end? Hah… it's like dangling meat in front of a starving dog."
Leonard rubbed his chin. His lips twitched into a grin.
"Fine. I'll do it. If it keeps my luck safe and fattens my pockets, I'll do whatever push-ups you throw at me. At least for now."
He leaned back and squinted at the shimmering panel.
"Right, system. That bronze mystery box. How much is it worth anyway? You mentioned I could buy one with the money before. So how much is it?"
Leonard wanted to know how much it was. After all, what if the mystery box is something he could afford now? He didn't want to waste his time and effort if he could buy it easily.
The screen flickered to answer him.
[Bronze Mystery Box = 40 Gold Coins or 200 Silver Coins]
[Silver Mystery Box = 70 Gold Coins or 350 Silver Coins]
[Gold Mystery Box = 100 Gold Coins or 500 Silver Coins]
Leonard's eyes went wide. His jaw nearly fell to the floor.
"What the fuck."
He slapped his forehead, groaning loudly.
This system is the biggest scam he has encountered. It's even more of a scam than some of the casinos he had been to.
"Great. I guess I don't have any choice but to be rich here." Leonard flopped back onto the bed, covering his face with both hands.
Leonard lay there, staring at the glowing screen above him.
"Whatever. If I'm gonna be forced to suffer, I may as well suffer rich. But…"
He quickly sat up and stretched his arms as his stomach gave another loud growl.
"…before I start this workout nonsense, I gotta eat first."
Leonard swung his legs off the bed and reached for his belongings. He grabbed the steel dagger from the bedside table and slipped it into his pocket. He just can't leave it alone, especially since it was a reward from the system.
And then… he reached for the one thing that mattered more than all the rest.
The dice.
Leonard held it carefully in his hand.
"Out of everything I own… you're the real treasure," he muttered with a grin. "Little buddy, you're the only reason I'm still alive."
He tucked the dice safely into his inner pocket, patting them twice like he was reassuring a pet.
"Alright. For today's plan. I will eat a cheap and filling breakfast. Then head to the market and lure people again to gamble their money." Leonard said those words with a big smile on his face.
He tightened his belt and straightened his clothes before heading toward the door to leave.
"Training can wait. Let's earn some money first."