Lucian's POV:
It had been an hour since I tried standing.
An hour since I failed repeatedly.
Forget standing—I could barely move my legs.
I could feel them, but whenever I tried to move my legs, they didn't respond for a second, and when they did, it hurt, as if my muscles were being pulled apart from the inside.
It's like trying to lift a mountain with threads of muscle that have forgotten what they're meant to do.
I could feel my entire body now, but whenever I wanted to move something, there was a delay—like my mind and body weren't exactly connected to each other.
My muscle memory has gone to trash.
But still, I tried.
Again
And again.
A couple of minutes passed just like that, with me trying to stand and failing.
Each effort left my legs shaking harder, my thighs burning, my lower back spasming in protest.
Finally, after a few minutes of trembling, I tried again.
Every fiber of my body kept shivering violently, sweat running down my temple…
My torso barely rose before collapsing again.
I rested, then tried again—time blurred into a haze of effort and gasps.
And then—
"Aaahh!"
I fell.
My head slammed onto the floor, a dull pain spreading through my skull.
The room spun around me, blurring into a dizzy mess.
"Fuck! It fucking hurts!" I cursed, clutching my head.
My skull throbbed, and nausea churned in my stomach.
"Akasha, I'm not dying again, right?" I muttered in frustration.
[No. But you might if you keep hitting your head like that.]
Hearing her reply, my lips twitched.
"Nice offer, but no thanks." Even talking was difficult, since my head was still spinning.
[If you have the time to talk, then use that energy to stand up.]
'I don't want to. Everything's spinning… my stomach's churning.
Is this what being drunk feels like?'
A useless thought crossed my mind.
[If your sister arrives here and sees you like this, then—]
"Ah— fine!"
Trying to calm my breathing, I started to move my body.
My limbs felt like they belonged to someone else.
My fingers clawed at the sheets, dragging my half-numb frame upward.
Leaning on the bed, I managed to stand after what felt like an eternity of failed attempts.
[1... 2... 3... ]
The countdown started, and I gave everything I had to keep my trembling legs from giving out.
[ …8... 9... 10]
"Fuck!"
Cursing, I collapsed face-first onto the bed again.
My legs were still trembling violently, refusing to cooperate.
My chest heaved heavily from the strain.
[Ding!~]
"Ah, the chime!"
Rolling over, I looked at the glowing screen that appeared before me.
[You have completed the Quest: On Your Feet.]
[You have completed the main objective.]
[You have acquired 1 Attribute Point.]
[You have completed the bonus objective.]
[You have acquired 1 Attribute Point.]
— — —
[Congratulations,] Akasha said with a gentle voice—
[—on doing something that even a five-year-old child can do.]
"…I'm almost convinced you're a Tsundere," I teased back.
[I just don't want you getting complacent over small things.]
"Don't worry, I won't," I said with genuine determination.
"So, should I increase my Strength or Constitution? I… don't really want to do that, though."
If I increase my stats through the system, then how is that my progress?
I don't like that. I wanted to improve—at least physically—through my own effort.
"I can increase my stats on my own, right? Or do I have to add points?"
[You don't have to. It's even beneficial to train naturally, since the stronger you get, the harder it becomes to increase them through effort alone.]
"Good. Though it'll take time to do that on my own... Is there no quest for something like that?"
[Ding!~]
[New Quest Generated!]
[Quest: No Pain No Gain.]
Main Objective:
– Increase all your physical stats on your own.
– Reach a minimum of 6 for all physical stats.
Reward: +10 AP
Bonus Objective (Optional):
– Reach all physical stats to a minimum of 9.
Bonus Reward: +20 AP
Difficulty: D
Time Limit: The start of the Apocalypse.
Failure Penalty: -2 to all stats.
—
"Akasha, I might fall in love with you," I said honestly, half-teasing, half-serious.
[Oh, you can,] she replied, her voice carrying a teasing tone.
I didn't fall for her words. I knew she was teasing me.
More importantly—
"So what stats can I increase right now?"
[I advise you to increase Will,] Akasha commented.
"Why?"
I already had an idea, but I wanted to confirm if it did what I thought it did.
[Will represents your mind's strength. The higher it is, the harder it is to break you—pain, fear, manipulation, even despair can't shake you. It's what keeps you you, even when everything else falls apart.]
Listening to her explanation, I thought it was fair and valid—especially when I kept giving up for no reason again and again.
Now I knew the reason.
"Put 2 points in Will."
[Will: +2]
Suddenly, it felt as if a fog had been lifted from my mind—not entirely, but enough to bring clarity.
It felt like I could do anything now, as long as I willed it… though it was probably just a feeling.
But along with it, something else stirred.
A faint ache in my chest.
A flicker of memory.
My heart tightened, my breathing grew ragged.
Why does it feel like I'm forgetting something?
Something… really important to me.
"Akasha? Does increasing stats feel like this?" I couldn't help but ask.
If this is what it feels like after increasing the stats, then…
[No, you're just... slowly remembering what you once forgot.]
"You mean my lost memories?" My eyes were growing blurry.
My eyelids felt heavy.
[Yes. Just… rest for now,] she said softly—her voice warmer than usual.
Listening to her words, I let my body relax and closed my eyes.
The pain dulled, the spinning stopped, and before I knew it, sleep took over me.