Ryuu woke up to the sweet, rare sound of silence.
No alarms. No death traps. No flaming time-loops. Just birds chirping and the warm sun bleeding through his curtains.
He groaned, rolling over like a defeated potato. Every muscle in his body complained.
Yesterday's training had been a full-on bugged questline: double-speed mobs, fake NPCs, and that weird mini-boss shaped like a vending machine. His brain still hurt.
His HUD pinged softly.
[Daily Training Reminder – Status: Skipped]
[System Comment: "Discipline contributes to destiny."]
Ryuu flipped the blanket over his face. "System, shut up. It's called rest."
System Voice (deadpan): "Your definition of 'rest' aligns with 'laziness.'"
He didn't move.
Instead, he reached for his phone and started a rerun of Cyber Idol Battle Royale. The opening theme was still a banger. A half-eaten bag of snack sticks sat within arm's reach. Life was, for once, not trying to kill him.
Another ping.
[Laziness Threshold: 43%]
[Minor Penalty Pending…]
Ryuu ignored it.
Another bite. Another anime episode. Another hour passed like a breeze.
[Laziness Threshold: 64%]
[System Alert: FINAL WARNING – Activity Levels Below Minimum Requirement]
He blinked. "Okay, okay, I'll stretch or something in like five minutes—"
But before he could move—
SCREEN: BLACK.
The room dissolved. The sound cut. Reality blinked.
[SYSTEM ENGAGING: PENALTY PROTOCOL]
[Punishment Game: INITIALIZING]
[Welcome, Ryuu. Please enjoy… Beach Episode: Nightmare Edition.]
He didn't even get to scream.
Ryuu blinked against a blinding sun.
Sand crunched under him. Waves lapped gently. Seagulls cried in the distance. And... ukulele music?
He sat up slowly, confusion thick in his brain.
He was on a beach.
A perfect beach. Clear water. Blue skies. Zero humidity. His clothes had been replaced with a Hawaiian shirt and swim shorts. His Luck stat hovered at 777%.
Something was very wrong.
System Voice (cheery) "Welcome to your punishment, Ryuu. Enjoy the simulation. You've earned it."
"What part of this is punishment?" he muttered.
Then she appeared.
Tall. Tan. Swimsuit. Impossible curves. NPC tag hovering overhead: "Beach Girl Aiko – Hospitality Lv. MAX"
"Hi, Ryuu~" she said, voice dripping sugar. "Want a cold drink and a massage?"
Behind her, more girls waved: volleyball players, shy bookworms, the classic tsundere lifeguard.
Ryuu's brain locked. "This is definitely a trap."
System:"Correct. Your survival instincts are improving."
He stood, brushing sand off himself—and that's when the drink tray exploded.
BOOM.
Aiko's friendly smile twitched, then melted. Her body glitched, limbs stretching. Her face morphed into a razor-toothed demoness.
"Play with us forever, Ryuu," she hissed.
Behind her, the other "girls" dropped the act—eyes turning black, limbs warping, voices overlapping.
They charged.
Ryuu sprinted.
"THIS IS NOT A BEACH EPISODE!"
He dodged a flying beach umbrella (on fire), kicked over a cursed cooler, and rolled under a giant inflatable crab.
System: "Survive. Learn. Resist pleasure. That is your trial."
"RESIST PLEASURE?! THIS IS A HENTAI WARZONE!"
A volleyball slammed next to his face, hissing with acid. He backflipped into a beach hut, panting, heart racing.
Inside, he found a cooler labeled: "Forbidden Coconut Smoothie – +100 HP"
His hand hovered over it.
It smelled amazing.
But…
System: "Warning: Item contains charm hex. Consumption = 3% permanent brain melt."
He yanked his hand back.
Self-control. Right. That's what this was.
Not a reward.
A test.
Everything here wanted to seduce, distract, or straight-up eat him.
And if he gave in—
He was done.
Ryuu ducked out the back, dodging a demonized beach ball with sharp teeth.
Sweating, shaking, but alive.
And something inside him was changing.
He wasn't running away anymore.
He was running toward control of his own mind.
The sky began to glitch.
The sun split into cubes. The waves froze mid-crest. The beach warped like melting plastic.
Ryuu stood alone in the center of the chaos, shirt torn, sand in his hair, demon coconut smoothie still tempting him from the distance.
System Voice (serious now):
"Pleasure numbs purpose. Fight, or be consumed."
A new figure appeared in front of him—her silhouette instantly familiar.
Hinami.
But not quite.
This version wore a flowing white sundress, smiling with soft, perfect warmth. She held out her hand.
"Ryuu. Stay here with me. It's safe. No more training. No more pain."
He froze.
Her voice was exactly right. Her eyes, even more convincing.
But it wasn't real.
He reached out, brushing her hand—
[Warning: High-level Illusion Detected]
He pulled back.
"No."
The fake Hinami's smile wavered. "You're tired. Don't you deserve peace?"
"I deserve the truth," Ryuu said, stepping back. "Even if it hurts."
She began to crack like glass. One word shattered her completely:
"Goodbye."
+15 Self-Control XP
The world shifted again.
Now he was in a massive banquet hall. Tables piled with food. Gold. Comfort. A throne with his name glowing on it.
A voice echoed: "You've done enough. Rest here. Be a king."
Ryuu walked past the food.
Didn't stop.
Didn't sit.
Didn't touch a thing.
+20 Self-Control XP
Trait Upgrade: Self-Control Lv.1 ➤ Lv.2
He reached the far side of the room.
One last door.
Inside: a simple apartment. His old room. A calm Hinami on the couch, reading a book.
"You don't have to wake up, Ryuu," she said quietly. "You've already made it. This is your perfect life. I'm here. You're safe."
The smell of his favorite food. The softness of the couch. The warmth of her voice.
He wanted it so badly.
But he shook his head immediately.
"This isn't earned. It's escape."
He walked to the window. Looked out.
Saw the real world flickering beyond the glass—flawed, broken, terrifying.
But it was his.
"I'm going back," he whispered.
The apartment trembled.
Hinami's smile faded. She looked sad—but proud.
"Then fight. And survive."
The world collapsed.
[Penalty Complete]
[Final Temptation Defeated]
[New Trait Unlocked: Willpower Lv.1]
[Romance Subsystem Sync: +10% Boost]
Ryuu awoke in his bed, gasping.
Sweaty. Shaky. Alive.
And a little stronger.
Ryuu lay in bed, staring at the ceiling like it owed him answers.
His sheets were tangled around his legs. His hair was damp with sweat. His heart rate was still recovering from emotional whiplash.
But it was over.
SYSTEM: Penalty Protocol Completed
[Trait Gained: Self-Control Lv.2]
[Hidden Stat Unlocked: Willpower – Current Level: 1]
[New Passive Installed: Emotional Anchor]
He exhaled.
That wasn't a dream. It felt like a dream. But the ache in his limbs, the static buzz in his HUD, and the faint, lingering smell of cursed coconut smoothie all said otherwise.
"Okay," he whispered. "Skipping training is officially banned."
System Voice (calm, almost gentle):
"Love is optional. But meaning… isn't."
He blinked. That wasn't mockery. That was… advice?
He turned his face into the pillow. "Since when do you give motivational speeches?"
System: "Patch 8.1. Romantic Development Protocols now include philosophical encouragement."
Ryuu snorted. "So now you're my life coach and my wingman."
No reply.
Just silence. The good kind.
His body still ached. His heart still fluttered when he remembered Hinami's voice—even the fake one. But his mind?
Clear.
Clearer than it had been in days.
He wasn't just powering up anymore.
He was growing.
"Romance subsystem judging me," he muttered, eyes half-shut.
[Judgment: Acceptable Progress]
He smiled.
For the first time, he didn't mind being judged.
Not if she was watching.