In the steamy air of the bathroom, as I gulped water from the faucet, my mom's voice startled me. "Hey, Ken, my boy, is it getting too hot in here?" The door cracked open, revealing her worried face. My heart raced. Damn it, I'd lost 5-6 kilos, just by sweating! My body was still burning, and the bathroom had turned into a sauna. If she saw me like this… it'd be weird. I took one last sip, lifted my head, and grinned, "Nah, Mom, everything's fine." I quickly brushed past her, planted a kiss on her forehead, and bolted to my room.
From behind, she shouted, "KEN! Don't drink from the tap, you'll get sick!" But there was a surprised joy in her voice. I was chuckling as I entered my room, feeling like a kid again. My mom was practically drunk on my affection. What could I say? Her smile erased all those awful school days, Daniel's kicks, Hideo's laughter. I wiped the puddles of water on the floor with a towel. The room's heat was slowly fading, but it still felt like a bathhouse. Just as I was about to collapse onto my bed, the familiar gray-white screen appeared, golden text glowing:
New Quest Acquired!
No Free Meals!: Thought you'd get free food, huh? Get your ass to training, NOW!
Details: Morning cardio's done. Time for muscle building. Don't think you'll fit into gym machines, but no choice, champ, let's go!
Quest: Purchase a 6-month membership at the nearest gym. Use the money you saved for that anime girl pillow. Quest duration: 3 hours, so get moving. Items to bring: Towel, 5 liters of water, 5 protein bars, spare clothes, and thick-soled shoes.
"Damn it, system!" I said out loud. That crude, mocking tone… it was like it was taunting me! My anime girl pillow money? That was practically sacred! But the system's "NOW" scream lit a fire in me. "Fine, fine, screw it, I'm going!" I said, gritting my teeth. I rushed to the bathroom, threw myself under cold water. As the sweat and mud washed off, I looked in the mirror. Still fat, but I seemed a bit lighter. Fat Burner MK-1 had worked. "This is just the start, Ken," I told myself. I got out, picked my baggiest clothes—tight ones would stick and make me look even worse at the gym. I stuffed a towel, water, protein bars, spare clothes, and my old but sturdy sneakers into a backpack. As I headed out, my mom called, "Ken, where to?" "Gym, Mom!" I said, grinning. Her eyes sparkled. "Good job, my boy!" she said, still sounding surprised.
When I reached the street with the gym, it felt like stepping into another world. The street was packed with massive guys—arms as thick as my thighs, chiseled chests, like Greek gods descended to Earth. The women were just as impressive: muscular, fit, confident. I froze. "This isn't my place," I thought. I could find a quieter, shabbier gym. The fancy one upstairs was a pipe dream, but even this felt… too "big." But the system's "3 hours" warning echoed in my mind. I took a deep breath, pushed down my fear, and opened the door.
Inside was weirder than I expected. The air was thick with a heavy clove scent, like someone had doused the place in cologne. Dim lights, rusty equipment, peeling paint… The gym was rundown but had a soul. No one was at the counter. I looked around, timidly saying, "Can someone help?" Silence. I raised my voice: "CAN SOMEONE HELP?" A huge guy emerged from the back. His hair was slicked with gel, like he'd stepped out of the '80s. He was old but built like a twenty-year-old. His arms strained his t-shirt, his pecs rock-hard. Juiced or natural? I couldn't tell, didn't care. With a booming voice, he said, "Yesss, brother, welcome! How can I help?" His grin was huge.
"Uh… I want to get a membership," I said, swallowing my words. "Let's go, champ!" he said, leading me on a tour. "This machine works your back, this one's for legs, that's the cardio area…" He went on and on, showing me the changing rooms, the showers. The guy was friendly, almost too relaxed. A few people were in the gym. Some stared at themselves in mirrors, others grunted lifting weights. The girls… well, bluntly, most looked like they were hunting for boyfriends. Shiny leggings, perfect makeup, posing in mirrors… But skinny guys and people like me got weird looks. A girl whispered to her friend and giggled. I clenched my teeth. "Not judging, huh?" I thought. But my feelings about the gym were shifting. Chaotic as it was, it felt like a home. Everyone was fighting their own battle.
I swiped my card for the membership. The anime girl pillow money… gone. My heart ached. "I can still get one, right?" I thought. Streamers use them, cool people use them… why not me? But no, this money was for my muscles now. After signing up, the guy slapped my shoulder. "Go get 'em, champ!" I went to the changing room, locked my bag in a locker. The gym was quiet, probably because of the time. As I headed downstairs, the system screen flashed:
Quest Updated!
Exercise List:
Lat Pulldown: 4x8 Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown: 4x8 Lat Extension: 4x15 Pull Over: 4x15 Z Bar Curl: 4x12 Alternate Curl: 3x12
Note: Stay in place while information is loaded!
Suddenly, a flood of knowledge poured into my brain. It was like a computer uploading how to perform each move. The angle for Lat Pulldown, the grip for Z Bar Curl—every detail etched into my mind. The pain was mild, but my head spun for a moment. "Alright, system," I thought. "Let's do this."
First move: Lat Pulldown. I sat at the machine, laid out my towel. The gym was nearly empty, but a few eyes were on me. I set the weight as the system instructed, reached for the bar, took a deep breath, and pulled. But… damn it, my body didn't match my mind! The move was perfect in my head, but in reality? My back bent wrong, my arms shook, the muscles near my armpits burned like needles. I barely finished the first set, gasping. On the second, my back cramped, and my shoulder ached. "This is muscle building?" I thought, gritting my teeth. But I didn't stop. With every pull, I thought of Daniel's kicks, Hideo's laughs. "You… you'll pay," I said to myself. By the fourth set, my arms were numb, my back throbbing.
Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown was even harder. The new grip made my wrists ache. The weight felt like pulling an elephant. On the third set, I nearly dropped the bar. A guy nearby said, "Slow down, champ, don't mess up your form." I was embarrassed but nodded. Lat Extension and Pull Over were pure torture. Each rep set my armpits and back muscles on fire, like someone was injecting flames. For Z Bar Curl, my arms shook so much I could barely hold the bar. By the time I finished Alternate Curl, I couldn't lift my arms to ear level. I looked in the mirror. My face was beet red, my forehead drenched. But… oddly, I was enjoying it. This pain, this exhaustion… for the first time, I felt alive. "Am I a masochist?" I thought, laughing.
I finished the exercises, grabbed _
my bag, and left the gym. The gel-haired guy at the counter shouted, "Come back, champ!" I waved, but my arms hurt so much they barely moved. As I stepped outside, the system screen flashed:
Quest Updated and Rewards Received!
New Details: Continue going to the gym on designated days for 6 months!
Rewards Acquired: Fat Burner MK-1, Charisma +1
"Charisma +1?" I said aloud. There was no such stat, but… it sounded cool. The excitement for Fat Burner MK-1 was on another level. I started running home, despite my aching arms. In my room, I collapsed onto the rug and called the system. The glowing Fat Burner MK-1 sat in my inventory. I remembered the warning: fainting, dizziness, burning… But my excitement overpowered my fear. "Use," I said to myself.
My body ignited. It was like a volcano erupting inside me. "AGHHH!" I screamed, thrashing on the floor. My skin burned, my bones felt like they were melting. Steam rose from my body, a sour smell stinging my nose. My vision blackened, then cleared; the world blurred, then sharpened. My head throbbed, my ears rang. For an unknown stretch of time, I was lost in pain and confusion.