Asher woke up convinced two things were true.
One: he was alive.
Two: his body absolutely disagreed with that decision.
He tried to sit up.
His body laughed at him.
"Okay," he groaned, staring at the ceiling. "So… everything hurts."
Not a sharp pain.
A deep, full-body soreness. Like every muscle had filed a formal complaint overnight.
He rolled off the bed and landed on his feet.
Which surprised him.
"…Huh."
That part was new.
Asher shuffled into the bathroom and froze when he saw his reflection.
Bruises.
Scratches.
One very ugly purple mark on his ribs that looked like it had opinions.
"…I can't go to work like this."
His phone buzzed.
WORK REMINDER: Shift starts in 45 minutes.
Asher sighed.
"…I can absolutely go to work like this."
The walk there was worse.
Not because he was tired.
Because his body wasn't.
His legs moved easily. Too easily. He caught himself walking faster than normal, then slowed down on purpose like he'd been caught doing something illegal.
"Act normal," he muttered. "Normal people don't speed-walk after being beaten half to death."
A system window flickered.
[Endless Stamina – Residual Effect Detected]
"Shh," Asher whispered. "You're not invited today."
Work was already loud when he arrived.
Carts rattling. Boxes thumping. Someone arguing with a machine that clearly did not care.
Maya looked up from the counter the moment Asher walked in.
She squinted.
Then squinted harder.
"…Did you fight a raccoon?"
Asher froze.
"What? No."
She crossed her arms. "You're limping."
"I pulled something," Asher said quickly. "You know. Uh. Sleeping."
She stared at him.
"…You pull muscles sleeping a lot."
Asher laughed awkwardly. "Bad mattress?"
"Bad lies," she said, but let it go—for now.
That was worse.
Ten minutes in, Asher learned something alarming.
Lifting boxes was easy now.
Like… easy easy.
He picked one up, realized it weighed nothing, and nearly launched it onto the shelf above his head.
He stopped just in time.
"…Okay," he muttered. "Control. Gentle. Human."
Maya watched him set it down carefully.
"You sure you're good?" she asked.
"Yep," Asher said. "Just motivated."
"That's suspicious."
Halfway through the shift, the soreness faded.
Not vanished.
Adjusted.
Asher felt… fine.
Which he absolutely should not have felt after yesterday.
He leaned against a shelf, frowning.
"…I'm recovering too fast."
A system message popped up.
[Notice]
Physical adaptation accelerating.
Extended recovery periods may no longer be required.
Asher swallowed.
"That feels like something I should be scared of."
Then the real problem showed up.
A delivery came in late.
Heavy crates. Bad timing. Short staff.
The supervisor barked orders.
"Move faster!"
Asher grabbed a crate without thinking.
It slipped.
Maya was right there.
Asher moved.
Not fast.
Instant.
He caught the crate mid-fall with one hand.
Silence.
The crate didn't hit the ground.
Neither did Maya.
Asher slowly looked down at his hand.
Then at her.
Then back at the crate.
"…Wow," he said. "Good reflexes."
Maya didn't laugh.
She stared at his hand.
At the crate.
At him.
"…Asher," she said slowly. "That thing weighs more than you."
His stomach dropped.
"Uh," he said. "Adrenaline?"
"That wasn't adrenaline," she said quietly.
They stood there for half a second too long.
Then Asher gently set the crate down.
"…Please don't tell anyone," he blurted.
Maya studied him.
Long.
Then she exhaled.
"I won't," she said. "But you're buying me coffee."
Asher nodded immediately. "Deal. Whatever kind you want."
She squinted. "Even the expensive one?"
"Yes."
"…I knew something was off," she muttered, turning away. "You owe me an explanation eventually."
Asher watched her go, heart pounding.
"That was close," he whispered.
A system window appeared.
[Notice]
External exposure risk detected.
Future concealment recommended.
Asher sighed.
"Yeah," he muttered. "I figured."
The shift ended without further incidents.
Which felt like a miracle.
Asher stepped outside into the evening air, stretching his arms.
Despite everything—
Despite the pain, the close calls, the near exposure—
He smiled.
He was stronger.
Not just in the dungeon.
But everywhere.
"…This is going to get complicated," he said.
The system did not disagree.
Which, somehow, made it worse.