"So how do I earn more AP?" he asked quietly.
『The usual ways. Completing quests. Defeating enemies. Reaching milestones. The payouts scale with difficulty and rank.』
"Can I see what quests are available?"
The screen changed, displaying the QUEST tab. Under "Active Quests," only two items appeared:
- Daily Quest (Ongoing)
Isaiah tapped the Daily Quest, and a new window expanded:
Daily Quest Issued: 「Stop Being So Pathetic」
Description: Your physical vessel is still pathetically weak. Neglecting it is the fastest way to get yourself deleted. Perform this basic regimen to ensure minimal operational standards. Do it quickly so we can get to something more important.
Objectives:
Complete a 10km Run (Pacing must not drop below 15 km/h)
Perform 100 Push-ups (Perfect form only. I'm watching.)
Perform 100 Sit-ups (No cheating.)
Rewards: +50 Attribute Points (AP)
"Fifty points just for exercise?" Isaiah's eyebrows shot up. "That's the same amount I have now."
『Daily Quests are the bread and butter of early progression. Consistent, reliable income. But they're not trivial. Look at the run requirement—15 kilometers per hour minimum pace. That's not a jog. In your current physical condition, it's nearly impossible.』
Isaiah frowned, doing quick conversions in his head. A sustained pace of about 9.3 miles per hour. For a trained runner, that wasn't particularly fast. For Izuku Midoriya's body...
"I can do it," he said firmly.
『Sure you can, tough guy. And I can tap-dance on the moon. This body has never run more than a mile without collapsing from an asthma attack.』
"Then I'll invest points first. Make this body stronger."
『Smart move. But choose carefully.』
Isaiah studied the status screen, weighing his options. Strength would help with the push-ups, Vitality with the stamina for running, and Agility with speed. But fifty points spread across three stats wouldn't get him far enough.
"If I put all my points into Vitality, would that be enough?"
『No. Raw stamina without speed or strength is useless here.』
He cursed under his breath. "I need to pick one objective and focus on it. The run is probably the hardest."
He closed his eyes, visualizing the challenge ahead. Ten kilometers at fifteen kilometers per hour meant... about forty minutes of sustained, hard running.
"Put twenty-five points into Agility," he decided.
A confirmation window appeared:
[Confirm Attribute Upgrade?]
25 AP → 25 Agility Points
Current: F(0/25) → New: F(25/25)
Cost: 125 AP
"Wait, what?" Isaiah sputtered. "You said it costs 5 AP per point!"
『It does. 5 AP × 25 points = 125 AP total. Did you sleep through basic arithmetic?』
Isaiah glared at the ceiling. "You know exactly what I meant. I don't have 125 points. I only have 50."
『Then you can't max out Agility yet. Welcome to the grind, Opportunist.』
He gritted his teeth. "Fine. Put 10 points into Agility."
[Confirm Attribute Upgrade?]
10 AP → 10 Agility Points
Current: F(0/25) → New: F(10/25)
Cost: 50 AP
"Confirm."
A sensation like cool water rushed through his limbs. His muscles twitched and tensed. His body felt lighter, more responsive. When he wiggled his toes, they moved a fraction faster than his brain expected.
[Attribute Upgrade Successful]
Agility: F(0/25) → F(10/25)
AP Remaining: 0
"That's... strange," Isaiah murmured, stretching his arms. "I can feel the difference. It's subtle, but real."
『Of course it's real. Did you think this was a video game? The System alters your actual physical capabilities.』
Isaiah looked at his status screen again. With zero AP remaining, he needed to complete the daily quest to earn more points. But he'd need more points to be physically capable of completing the daily quest.
A classic catch-22.
"There has to be a way," he muttered, pacing again. His movements felt smoother now, more coordinated. "What if I split the quest up? Do the push-ups and sit-ups tonight, then try the run in the morning?"
『The quest requirements don't work that way. It's all or nothing, and you have until midnight tomorrow. After that, not only do you lose the AP reward, but you get hit with a penalty.』
"What kind of penalty?"
『Status Effect: [Lethargic] for 24 hours. Reduced AP gains and stamina regeneration. The System punishes failure.』
Isaiah stopped by the window, looking out at the city lights. In his old life, he'd never backed down from a challenge. But he'd also never been as physically incapable as he was now.
A thought struck him.
"The Gacha," he said suddenly. "What's that?"
『Ah, now you're thinking. The Gacha is your golden ticket—if luck is on your side.』
The interface shifted to the GACHA tab. A colorful display appeared, showing three different "banners"—stylized advertisements for randomized reward pools.
『The Gacha Nexus uses AP as currency. You spend points for a chance at skills, items, or abilities. It's gambling, essentially.』
Isaiah's eyes narrowed. "But I don't have any AP left."
『Correct. Which means you're stuck. Can't complete the quest without upgrading, can't upgrade without AP, can't get AP without completing quests or pulling something useful from the Gacha, can't pull from the Gacha without AP. It's a wonderful system, isn't it?』
Something in Arcan's tone bothered him. She sounded almost pleased by his predicament.
Isaiah sat back on his bed, mind racing. He had to break this cycle somehow. In his past life, he'd always found an angle, always exploited a weakness in any system.
"Wait," he said suddenly. "You mentioned defeating enemies gives AP. Does that have to be in a quest?"
Arcan's voice held a note of surprise. 『No. AP is awarded for any legitimate combat victory. The amount scales with the threat level.』
A slow smile spread across Isaiah's face. "So if I were to go out tonight and find some low-level street criminal..."
『That would be incredibly stupid,』 Arcan interrupted. 『You have no combat skills, no equipment, and barely improved physical stats. You'd get yourself killed in the first real fight.』
"You underestimate me," Isaiah said quietly. "I've been fighting my whole life. Not this body, but me. I know how to hurt people."
『This is suicide,』 Arcan warned. 『I'm not kidding. You are not ready.』
"Then I'd better get ready fast. Because waiting isn't an option."