"Uuugghh…" Raiden yawned and stretched, his joints cracking like firecrackers after a long night's rest.
The moment his eyes opened, the first thing he saw hovering above him was a familiar blue-hued interface — waiting, patient, and almost smug.
> [Daily Quests to Build Host Have Been Generated]
Raiden groaned. "Yeah… seeing that pretty much confirms I'm not dreaming. Guess the talking blue box is real."
With a sigh, he confirmed the prompt with a thought — a trick he'd learned after fumbling with voice commands yesterday.
> [Confirmed]
[Daily Quest List Loaded]
Quest 1: Perform 300 push-ups
Progress: 0 / 300
Quest 2: Run 300 meters
Progress: 0 / 300
Quest 3: Meditate for 20 minutes
Progress: 0 / 20
Rewards:
+1 Stat Point to All Attributes
+500 EXP
+1 Skill Point
(Skill Points can be used to upgrade or unlock new skills in the System Shop.)
Raiden whistled. "A free level-up plan disguised as torture. Nice."
Curiosity flickered across his face. "Let's see what's in this so-called shop."
He mentally tapped the icon.
> [Error: Shop Function Locked]
Access available at Level 10.
Raiden froze. Then sighed dramatically. "And there goes my joy. I should've known it was too good to be true."
Still, his grin returned. "Alright then. Let's grind these quests and get those rewards."
---
The Training Begins
Raiden dropped to the floor, assuming a push-up position. His arms trembled slightly — not from weakness, but anticipation. He began slowly. Up. Down. Up. Down.
> [Quest 1 Progress: 5 / 300]
He blinked. "Five? That's it? You've got to be kidding me."
Determined, he pressed on, sweat beginning to bead across his forehead. Minutes bled into more minutes. His muscles screamed, his breath grew ragged, and the veins in his forearms pulsed visibly.
By the time he reached two hundred, every push-up felt like lifting a mountain. But he gritted his teeth and finished the last fifty in a burst of stubborn fury.
> [Quest 1 Progress: 300 / 300]
[Quest 1 Completed]
Raiden collapsed onto his back, chest heaving like a bellows. Sweat soaked his undershirt. "That… was hell."
He checked his quantum watch — 7:30 AM. "Still early. Guess I'll tackle meditation next."
---
The Calm Before the Run
He sat cross-legged on the floor, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.
It wasn't easy quieting his mind — flashes of the fight with the bandits, the eerie creature from G-City, and the thrill of the System all buzzed behind his eyelids.
But slowly, his breathing steadied. The noise faded.
Darkness enveloped his consciousness until a faint, flickering light appeared — a bluish flame, hovering before him like a wisp. Tiny arcs of lightning danced around it, humming faintly with power.
He focused on it, feeling warmth and energy pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. His MC (Mutant Cell energy) resonated with the flame, feeding it, nurturing it.
Time became meaningless.
> [Quest 3: Meditate 30 / 30 Minutes]
[Quest Completed]
Raiden exhaled sharply and opened his eyes. "That felt… good. Like my mind just hit the refresh button."
He stretched, showered quickly, and threw on his (recently acquired) body suit from yesterday's unfortunate bandits. "Two down, one to go."
---
The Final Sprint
Outside, the morning sun hung lazily above the rooftops. The streets buzzed with life.
Raiden picked a direction and started jogging. His steps were light, his breathing steady, and he could feel his stamina stat actually working now — the System subtly optimizing his rhythm.
He turned the quest into an opportunity — the Adventurer's Hub was about four hundred meters from his hotel, and the run could double as both training and travel.
As he ran, his movements became more fluid, the world around him sharper, his focus narrowing into that intoxicating mix of effort and progress.
> [Quest 2: Run 300 / 300 Meters]
[Quest Completed]
By the time he stopped in front of the Hub's towering structure, sweat trickled down his jawline, but his grin was wide.
> [All Daily Quests Completed Before Deadline]
[Delivering Rewards…]
+1 to All Stats
+1 Skill Point
+500 EXP
[Updated Status]
Strength: 16 → 17
Agility: 22 → 23
Sturdiness: 15 → 16
Stamina: 14 → 15
Perception: 13 → 14
EXP: 2,550 / 4,000
Raiden chuckled. "Just a few more quests and I'll level up. Not bad for a morning workout."
---
The Adventurer's Hub
The Hub was colossal — a twelve-story monument of steel, glass, and energy conduits humming faintly with power. Inside, it was bustling. Adventurers of all ages and races filled the lobby: armored warriors laughing, cloaked scouts whispering, mages flipping through mission tablets.
Raiden pushed open the glass doors, the cool air inside brushing against his still-warm skin.
He scanned the rows of counters — each labeled: Registration, Mission Claims, Equipment Exchange, Guild Assignments.
He joined the Registration queue, which was thankfully short. A few minutes later, he was face-to-face with a receptionist — a fair-skinned beauty with auburn hair and a professional smile that could calm a storm.
"Welcome to the Adventurers' Hub," she said warmly. "Please fill out this form. Once complete, proceed to the second floor for your aptitude test."
Raiden nodded. The form was straightforward — name, age, ability type, blood type, state of origin. He returned it swiftly.
The receptionist typed in his data and gave him a soft smile. "Good luck on your test, Mr. Ignatius."
---
The Test of Worth
The testing chamber was wide and brightly lit, lined with futuristic equipment and screens displaying previous candidates' results. Raiden noticed a young man with gold-colored hair finishing his own test — his power readings pulsed A-rank. The crowd murmured in admiration.
"Strong one," Raiden thought, eyes narrowing.
"Raiden Ignatius," a stern voice called. The instructor — a man in his forties, with silver hair and sharp eyes — gestured toward the testing platform. "Three tests. Strength and Sturdiness. Agility and Perception. Ability Aptitude. Let's begin."
Raiden stepped into the metallic ring, every step echoing faintly.
"Punch the target with full force," the instructor commanded, motioning to a thick, drum-shaped impact pad connected to glowing sensors.
Raiden took a deep stance, muscles coiling. "Alright, let's see how far I've come."
He inhaled sharply — then exploded forward.
BOOM!
The sound cracked through the chamber. The drum shuddered violently as the digits raced upward —
1… 5… 10… 14… 18.
"Score: 18. Strength Grade — D+," the instructor read aloud, raising an eyebrow. "Not bad for a first timer. Proceed."
Next came agility. Raiden faced a series of floating orbs that shot out projectiles of light. The first few were easy to dodge. Then they grew faster — unpredictable. He ducked, sidestepped, spun. His body blurred, a faint afterimage trailing behind.
A beam grazed his sleeve. The lights went green.
"Passed," the instructor said with a small smirk. "Your reflexes are sharp."
The last test — Ability Resonance. Raiden stood in the center of a glowing circle. A scanning crystal rose from the floor, its light sweeping over him.
The system within him stirred. His MC flared subtly — that faint bluish lightning dancing across his veins.
The scanner beeped twice, then displayed:
> Ability: Undetermined System Link
Rank: — Pending Analysis —
The instructor frowned but quickly masked it. "Hmm… rare reading. Still, you pass all three. Head to the third floor for your adventurer's kit."
Raiden nodded, suppressing a grin as he walked away.
---
The moment he stepped out,
the golden-haired youth from earlier glanced at him — eyes curious. For a brief moment, two rising stars crossed paths.
Raiden smirked. "This world better be ready… because I'm just getting started."