CHAPTER 4 — THE VALUE OF STRAIN
Kieran didn't sleep well.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the arrow — the quiet flash of steel under moonlight, the hooded figure melting back into darkness.
Someone wanted him dead.
Not because he was weak.
But because he was finally changing.
He sat at his small table, chewing the last of yesterday's stale bread, when the System chimed.
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Tip: Repetition alone does not increase proficiency.
Strain → Growth.
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Words formed beneath it, as if the System was teaching him.
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Effort + Discomfort + Improvement = Proficiency Gain
If difficulty > ability → large increase
If difficulty = ability → small increase
If difficulty < ability → no growth
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So that was why the crates worked yesterday.
Not because he repeated the motion…
…but because he pushed past his limit.
He leaned back, absorbing the logic.
Growth wasn't about what he could do.
Growth came when he tried what he couldn't do.
A knock at the door.
Then a voice:
"Ready for work?" It was the warehouse foreman from yesterday.
Kieran stood.
He wasn't running from life anymore.
He opened the door.
Today's load was different.
Instead of crates on flat ground, the foreman stood beside a rope-and-pulley system attached to a tall storage loft.
"You're hauling these up today," the foreman grunted. "Think you can handle that?"
Kieran grabbed the rope.
Immediately — the weight nearly jerked him off his feet.
Heavy. Much heavier than yesterday.
His muscles trembled.
A notification blinked:
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New Condition: Strain Detected
Proficiency gain increased
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He pulled.
Every tendon in his arms screamed.
Sweat dripped into his eyes.
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Strength Proficiency +2.5%
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He blinked.
Yesterday he got 0.6% from a crate.
Now, one pull gave 2.5%.
The harder the task…
the bigger the gain.
He hauled again.
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Strength Proficiency +2.0%
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And again.
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Strength Proficiency +1.5%
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He didn't need the System to explain — he could feel the diminishing returns.
The more familiar his body became with the movement,
the less it rewarded him.
When the crate reached the top, he collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath.
The foreman stared.
"…You're a damn machine, kid."
No.
Not a machine.
Someone finally evolving.
The System triggered a detailed breakdown.
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Strength Proficiency Progress:
• First Pull (beyond limit): +2.5%
• Second Pull (still difficult): +2.0%
• Third Pull (body adapting): +1.5%
• Fourth Pull (movement familiar): +1.0%
• Fifth Pull (no strain): +0.2%
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Then, a new line appeared:
Proficiency gain halted: Movement lacks challenge.
The rope in his hands suddenly felt lighter.
He had adapted.
Kieran looked up at the loft's height.
What once seemed impossible now felt… manageable.
He wiped sweat from his brow and asked the foreman:
"Got anything heavier?"
The foreman laughed like he was insane, but pointed to an even bulkier crate.
Kieran wrapped the rope around his forearm.
He pulled.
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Strength Proficiency 100%
Skill Upgraded → STRENGTH (E+)
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STR +1
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A rush spread through him — warm, electric.
Not magic.
Not a cheat.
Earned.
On his walk back, he checked his stats:
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STATUS
STR: 5
AGI: 1
VIT: 2
INT: 1
WIS: 1
LCK: 1
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He traced the number 5 with trembling fingers.
Five strength.
Just two days ago, he struggled lifting trash.
Now, his body felt sturdier. Rooted. Real.
He still wasn't strong.
Not compared to hunters.
Not compared to awakened geniuses.
But he was becoming someone dangerous enough to be noticed.
A woman's voice drifted from the darkness of a nearby alley:
"So you really are evolving."
Kieran stopped cold.
The cloaked figure stepped into the light.
The one from last night.
Her mask hid her face, but her tone was amused.
"You don't have talent. No bloodline. No destiny."
She tilted her head.
"Yet your system grows without limit."
Kieran didn't speak.
He couldn't.
She turned away, whispering:
"Monsters aren't the only things that evolve."
And vanished.
A cold breeze blew through the street.
Kieran clenched his fists.
No fear.
Only resolve.
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Main Quest Updated:
Master a combat skill before they return.
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He lifted his head toward the sky.
If the world was watching—
He would give it a reason to fear him.
End of Chapter 4