Asher woke up feeling… good.
That was suspicious.
No screaming muscles.
No bone-deep ache.
No sensation that his spine had been used as a percussion instrument.
He lay there for a moment, waiting for the pain to remember him.
It didn't.
"…I don't like this," he muttered.
He sat up.
Smoothly.
Asher blinked and slowly raised his arms, rotating his shoulders. There was stiffness—but it faded almost instantly, like his body was correcting itself in real time.
"…Okay," he said. "So sleep does things now."
A system window appeared, uninvited but polite.
[Physical Adaptation – Stabilized]
Recovery Rate: Optimized
Efficiency: Improved
Asher stared at it.
"So instead of regretting it later, I regret not sleeping sooner?"
The system did not respond.
Which meant yes.
He stood, stretched, and felt it immediately.
The world felt clearer.
Not sharper—quieter.
Like background noise he hadn't noticed before had been turned down a notch.
Asher walked to the kitchen, grabbed a glass of water, and nearly crushed it.
"…Gentle," he warned his hand. "We're easing into the day."
He set the glass down carefully and leaned against the counter.
"That explains a lot."
Another window flickered.
[Notice]
Rest has improved synchronization between body and system.
Minor efficiency penalties removed.
Asher exhaled slowly.
"…So I was playing on hard mode."
The restriction timer hovered in the corner of his vision.
Dungeon Access Locked – 7:46 Remaining
Asher stared at it.
Then smiled.
"Good," he said. "I'm not ready for you yet."
That sentence surprised him.
Work was easier.
Not because it was lighter—but because Asher wasn't fighting himself the whole time. His movements were controlled now, deliberate. He lifted boxes without launching them. Turned corners without overshooting. Didn't feel like his body was sprinting ahead of his brain.
Maya noticed.
Of course she did.
"You look… better," she said, suspicious. "Did you actually sleep?"
Asher nodded. "Against my will."
She narrowed her eyes. "Good. Keep doing that."
"Yes, ma'am."
She snorted. "Don't get sarcastic. You still owe me coffee."
"As promised," he said. "Expensive. Foam. Pretentious name."
She smiled. "I knew I liked you."
Mid-shift, Asher felt it again.
Not the itch.
Something subtler.
Like awareness.
A crate slipped off a shelf behind him.
Asher turned and caught it easily—no rush, no Burst Step, no panic.
He paused.
Then slowly set it down.
Maya stared.
"…Okay," she said. "That one was less concerning."
Asher smiled weakly. "Progress?"
"Controlled progress," she corrected. "Much better than yesterday."
He nodded.
She was right.
When the lock timer finally expired, Asher felt it immediately.
A quiet click somewhere deep inside him.
[Dungeon Access Restored]
Asher didn't move.
Didn't rush.
Didn't jump into another run.
Instead, he took a breath.
"…One thing at a time."
A new system message appeared.
[Notice]
Rest cycles improve long-term growth efficiency.
Repeated neglect may result in diminishing returns.
Asher stared at it.
"…You're telling me this now?"
The system, wisely, said nothing.
Asher laughed quietly.
"Fine," he said. "We do this properly."
He glanced at the dungeon access prompt—still there, still tempting.
But this time, it didn't feel like an itch.
It felt like a tool.
And for the first time, Asher felt like he was actually in control.
"…Alright," he said, cracking his knuckles.
"Next run—no stupid decisions."
The dungeon waited.
Patient.