Before I can even begin to comprehend what I'm seeing a huge shadow engulfs me. I turn and look to see a brunette she-hulk growling at me.
Oh fuck.
" that's my spot"
I nearly shat myself. This is currently the tallest person I've ever seen in either of my lives.
" oh I'm sorry I didn't know"
" it's fine, you look new so I didn't expect you to know how things go around here"
She's a whole lot nicer than I expected.
" can I ask you a question?"
" you just did"
Dear god.
" is any of this exercise equipment... not claimed?"
" the dumb bells over there are available for everyone. Just find one no ones using."
" you don't have much pull around here so if you don't want people to beat you to a bloody pulp just because, I suggest you lose some weight"
" that's the plan"
" good luck fatso"
I don't know what's worse, the fact she called me fatso or the fact there was no malice behind her words"
I make my way over to the unclaimed weights and pick the 5 pound one in my right hand. I can barley lift the damn thing.
Again the system screen shows up.
// challenge received //
Do 3 sets of ten with both arms.
- 10 pounds.
Reward— + 1 strength.
Then I see the status screen again which reads,
Name: Kyle Reiss
Type: human
Lvl. 0
Health: 13
Strength: 2
Endurance: 2
Agility: 1
Intelligence: 120( = 0 energy)
Dexterity: 22
Perception: 38
\\ Stats not synched \\
If I complete this challenge I'll get 1 strength. I'll just assume my stats are way below average for a man in this time period. If I keep getting these rewards will I become superhuman?
Even if that were possible and I don't reach a lvl cap or something this'll require hard work. Just from the 15ish minutes of walking I've done so far, I can hardly breath. I proceed to put down the five pound weight and pick up a Ten. I try to do thirty reps but once I reach 15 my arm stops moving. No matter how hard I try it just stays down.
// system notification //
( quest has been deemed currently physically impossible for host )
To do the quest you will require
5 strength and 5 endurance to start.
Alternate quest has been given to gain plus one to all stats upon completion.
{{read 3 books in one hour}}
// Quest will be doable until both strength and endurance reach 5 //
Well the giant television screen on one of the walls says there's still 20 minutes left of recess. I hope I can borrow books from the library.
I walk up to a giant teller desk. The glass is at least 5 inches thick and armoires guards stand on both sides.
" excuse me miss, is there a library here I can use?"
" yes, if you want to go there you'll have to be escorted" before I can answer... ya know like a normal person, my throat freezes up and I blurt out,
" I'd expect nothing less"
Honestly I have no idea why that happens but it's scary. What if the consciousness of the guy who's body I stole is still here... waiting for me to slip up and regain his control?
I don't want to think about it for too long.
One of the guards then takes me to the library located 4 minutes away.
I walk up to the black haired librarian and ask if I'd be allowed to take books back with me to my cell.
" of course, you'll just have to return them before 24 hours have passed since you took them"
" what happens if I don't?"
" Your shift at the mine will be made much harder. By that I mean, if you slip up once they'll beat you senseless and throw you back into your cell with no medical treatment what-so-ever"
" That's a little much"
" We have to make sure you all follow the small rules. So you'll all follow the big ones as well"
" I understand"
This place is quite big. It has shelves at least 4 stories high and is.... I don't know how big...
I notice that at the end of a shelf there's a tablet. I walk up to one of them and tap on the screen.
It's a digital record of every book in this place.
I choose 3 books that really caught my eye.
In the end I chose
- The Book of Enoch ( Wired Addition)
- I'm Too Stacked To Care ( A sigma males guide to courtship)
- A Beginners Guide To Martial Arts.
The screen starts glowing then out pop the three books and they all just float there.
What the hell?
I reach out to grab them and to my surprise they feel exactly like real books.
I walk over to the librarian and register the books to my name.
" what are these things made of?"
" all the shelves and books here are actually self projecting hard light holograms. you see, the library isn't available 24-7. In reality this room serves multiple purposes.
Guards train here, powerful prisoners ( that basically run this place mind you.) even use this place as a fighting ring sometimes, and it's also where the official prison sanctioned sentence matches take place"
" hold up, the hells a sentence match?"
" prisoners can fight famous fighters here to get time shaved off their sentences and also privileges"
" what if your serving for life?"
" then win, win lots. Make this place as comfortable for you as possible"
" Oh and I'm not trying to be rude or anything but, lose some weight"
" I know"
I walk over to a long table right in front of the main desk, sat down, and opened TBOE.
As I turn the first page I get a crazy headache and look down to see that I was on the last page. What's even crazier is that I remember the whole book. And it's been 12 seconds since I opened it.
I get a notification
// quest completion 1/3 //
Holy shit.... is speed reading something that Kyle could do when he was alive, and now I've inherited his skill. I was over joyed which lasted a few seconds before blood erupted from my ears and eyes.
(Urchough)
" sir, SIR!"
I black out.