Dave's life had become a cycle of relentless training, daily missions, and careful planning. After his conversation with Sarah, he realized he had even more on the line than just his survival. He wasn't only fighting to stay ahead of the Punishment Realm, but also to make a life where his family wouldn't have to worry about him anymore. He couldn't let them know how close he'd come to losing everything.
The daily missions continued to push his body to its limits. Each day, the System demanded 100 push-ups, 100 pull-ups, and a 10-kilometer run. While he wasn't physically where he needed to be, Dave knew every completed mission added 5 ability points to his stats. He was starting to feel the results in his muscles and stamina. His body was transforming, and he welcomed the pain, knowing it was a sign of progress.
'Just a few more weeks, and I'll be able to handle anything the System throws at me,' Dave thought as he finished his last set of push-ups for the day, feeling the burn deep in his arms.
Today, though, his mind wasn't solely on training. He had also been thinking a lot about his investments. His goal of reaching $100 million had already been surpassed, but he wasn't satisfied with just sitting on that wealth. He wanted more. Not just for the money—but for the control and freedom it represented.
Dave pulled out his phone and opened the app for his financial advisor, carefully looking over the shares he had in various mid-sized companies. The System had helped him make sound investments, but now he was strategizing on his own. A particular company dealing in eco-friendly technology had caught his eye, and he decided to buy $1 million worth of shares.
[System Notification: $1,000,000 spent. Calculating returns…]
A moment later, another notification popped up.
[System Reward: $10,000,000 credited to your account.]
Dave grinned. 'Still feels unreal,' he thought, watching the balance in his bank account climb to $110 million.
Satisfied with his purchase, he sat back on the couch. The weight of his new wealth wasn't something he took lightly, but the System had proven to be a reliable ally, even when things got tough. And lately, things had been getting tougher.
Just as he was about to settle in and relax, the System's familiar chime echoed in his mind.
[Daily Mission: Completed. 5 Ability Points awarded.]
Dave opened up his stats menu and allocated the points, 3 to strength and 2 to agility. His mind drifted to his upcoming weekly mission. This time, it was clear: he needed to accumulate 50,000 System points. Unlike converting money to points, this required him to think strategically about purchases and business opportunities that could yield the biggest rewards.
It wasn't going to be easy, especially with the high conversion rate of $1,000 for just 1 System point. But he was determined. Failing again meant another trip to that nightmarish realm. He shuddered at the thought of facing the monsters once more.
'No way I'm letting that happen again,' he thought firmly.
Dave stood up and decided it was time for a break. He grabbed his keys and headed out. The night was calm as he drove his new sleek black Mercedes-Benz, one of the first major rewards the System had given him. The smooth purr of the engine as he glided through the streets was almost therapeutic. He appreciated moments like this, where the world felt quiet, and he could let go of the constant pressure—if only for a while.
But that peace didn't last long. As he parked outside a café to grab a coffee, his phone buzzed. Another notification.
[Weekly Mission Progress: 0/50,000 System points.]
The reminder hit him hard. There was no time to waste. If he was going to avoid failure again, he had to keep working, keep pushing himself further. No room for mistakes.