Inside a spacious room that was covered with black carpet. A row of exercise equipment lined up inside the room. Dumbbells weight lining up neatly on the rack, a treadmill that stood tall in the corner of the room, a row of lifting weight equipment lining up beside it.
Those equipment were meant for lifting, but that wasn't the purpose this room was made of. In the corner of the room, there is also a bar at waist height, lining up each side to help the people who have problems in their walking capabilities, there is also a gum ball with different sizes lining up in the corner for training their balance. The room's purpose was the facilities for rehabilitation of their patients.
Alone in this ghost-quiet room, Soma, who was holding a single bar up, trying to pull his body against gravity, was preparing for his next reps.
[Quest progress 40/100]
With his trembling hands. Soma took a deep breath before he pulled his body up and exhaled trying to keep his form. His spine was straight and he locked his bent legs so that his lower body didn't have to make any unnecessary moves, to maintain his endurance. He didn't want to waste the polished movement that he just perfected earlier.
Soma keeps doing the movements up and down while continuing to regulate his breathing. Despite the tiredness that had affected his physical and mental, he grits his teeth, determined to finish a hundred reps to complete his daily quest.
Then twenty reps later, his face contorted showing his white teeth, his trembling hand tried to lift his now heavy body up. Feeling the weight that kept trying to push him down, Soma opened his mouth and howled like his life depended on this moment.
"Kuuuhh, AAAHH!".
Success in lifting his chin past the bar level. He straightened his hands and hung his body before placing his legs on the carpet. He began to stretch his back and hands to lessen the pain in his burning upper muscles.
"Damn, that was harder than I thought".
[Quest Progress 60/100]
Soma's spirit was lifted seeing the progress he achieved. He looked at the mirror that hung on the wall from his left, it stretched from one corner to the other. The right side of the room is full of mirrors. The reflection from that mirror was of a handsome young boy with short black hair and a lean muscle physique standing there, but there was something that bothered him the most right now. A pair of deep red-blood pupils was reflected in those mirrors.
At first, he was surprised by the change that happened in his pupil. He didn't expect the Devils to leave his imprint on his eyes, back then.
***
Later that night, where Soma had already cut off his mind from the real world, drifting himself into the endless void they called a sleep. A sudden change in consciousness made him perplexed.
An Eden that stretched as far away as his eyes could see. It truly is a feast for his eyes. A fluttering flower leaves that danced on the ground, with the help from the warm breeze that caressed his skin made this dream place so unreal to be called one.
Soma saw a single tall tree in front of him showing its majestic appearance, and a Single man was sitting in a lotus position with both eyes closed, regulating his slow breathing, not moving any finger even though his hair became green. It was as if he was trying to assimilate with the world.
"You came boy!".
The Martial saint opened his eyes and looked at Soma who was standing not too far away from him.
"Come, I have something to say to you".
Soma nodded his head and began to walk slowly, as he enjoyed the scenery. Then he arrived before the Martial Saint. He hesitated at first before flopping his butt onto the land with grass as his cushion.
"Have you seen your current status?"
"Yes, I have".
"..Good, you probably have a lot to ask me about, but let's just skip that all. Let's focus on the Martial saint skill that needs to be unlocked first".
Soma's memories resurfaced. When he saw his new status after getting the system. There was an additional window at the bottom of his status window, showing his current locked skill, and it needs a certain requirement to unlock it.
"Yes, I am aware of that too. What should I do?".
Soma feels a bit conflicted inside. He certainly didn't want to go ahead facing hardship just to unlock one of the skills he got from Martial Saint. However, he also understood that the thing on his hands was something more amazing than anyone else in this world had. So no matter what happens he is determined to unlock the skill that is still locked no matter what hardship is waiting in his path. Besides Soma, like the words 'There is no free lunch in this world'. He clenched his fist and looked at the Martial saint directly.
Martial Saint on the other hand smiled wryly and opened his mouth then spoke.
"Lightning!"
"..Yes?".
"Yeah, Lightning, that's it. That is all the pointer I will give you".
"Lightning?".
Soma began to cover his mouth deep in thought. It's a bit vague but also clear at the same time. Soma already has several matters at hand that could help him unlock his first skill. "Should I get lightning-type magic or a skill that lets my body resist the power of lightning? Or should I aim for both? Or worse, should I get struck by lightning first to understand the lightning itself like in a cultivation novel? Man, I rather not do that…". Soma muttered.
Warmth enveloped Martial Saint's face, and his corner of mouth lifted a little forming a small smile watching Soma trying to figure out the word he gave him before. This scene reminds him of those days when he taught his disciples. But soon his face tightened as he gazed at Soma intensely, then opened his mouth.
"Soma, have you felt anything strange since you awoke in the real world?".
Soma, who is deep in thought, came back after hearing the Martial Saint's voice enter his ears. He turned his gaze to the Martial saint, then tilted his head.
"..Huh no, not in the slightless".
"I see".
Martial saint's complexion didn't seem very good in Soma's eyes.
"..What is the matter, Martial saint?"
The martial saint hesitated before having a sigh and raised his right hand then pointed it at Soma's eyes. Soma had a blank face, he didn't understand what Martial Saint meant by doing that.
"Your eyes".
"My eyes?".
Soma put his thumb and index finger below his eyeliner caressing it carefully. Before asking the martial saint what it was about.
"What happened to my eyes?".
"..Your eyes change. It now has a deep red-blood color like the devil that is sealed inside you".
Soma's body shook. He tried to open his mouth trying to clarify if the word he was saying was the truth or it was just a lie. But, when Soma looked at the Martial saint's eyes. He soon dismissed that stupid thought from his mind.
"..I see".
"You didn't seem surprised?".
"No. I was literally surprised that my eyes had changed. But dwelling on the matter will just get my mind preoccupied with meaningless things, and make me forget what is the most important thing I need to do right now. For this concern, I will deal with it later..".
The Martial saint's eyes opened wide, surprised. He didn't think that this young fellow would have decisive mental capabilities at such a young age. However, impressed as he was, he also felt a bit sad because knowing that for someone to have that mental state. They must have had an unfortunate past in their life.
However, the truth is Soma's decisiveness came from his past life experience, and as for his current past he still couldn't fully accept it very well.
Soma's body began to turn transparent. He knew that the time had come for him to leave the dream place. Notice that Soma began to turn transparent, The Martial saint spoke his word.
"Don't be afraid. Just do what you have to do, Soma".
"..I understand, Thanks for the pointer and the news".
Then Soma's body began to turn into a small particle, then vanished inside the dream world leaving the Martial saint behind.
***
The thing that probably made a change in Soma's eyes was the time when the devil tried to take control of Soma's body inside his dream.
The body part that had been invaded first by the devil's strength was his eyes. The stinging pain that assaulted his eyes at that time still remains even now when he remembers those events.
However, despite all of that. Soma had one thing to do right now. that was to finish what he had started.
"Urk, come on!!".
[Quest progress 99/100]
Only one last pull and he would be able to finish his daily quest, but this last pull was taking everything from him to reach that bar.
Soma's upper bare body was glistening because of the sweat he accumulated throughout the exercise, enhancing his clear skin. With a trembling upper body and gritting his teeth, Soma slowly but surely raised his body up until, finally, his chin past the bar level.
[Quest complete]
Soma loosened his muscles and made his body drop down while still hanging on the bar. He didn't release the grip, fearing that if he did that he could get an injury. After positioning himself he began to drop down, touched the floor then rested his body while leaning against the steel bar.
[Reward: All stats +1]
"..Good job,,".
"..Good job finishing that".
Soma's tired body jerked by the sudden sound that cut his line of thought. He turns his gaze around and soon meets the eyes of the smiling Hisako duo, but there is another person who is standing behind them looking down not wanting to face Soma. He tried to regulate his breathing trying to calm his racing heart, then Soma began to open his mouth.
"..Fuu,, haaa,, ..Why are you here?"
"We just want to check your condition, but looking at you right now. you are in perfect health".
Hisako began to inspect Soma and began to squint her eyes. And Soma who catches that feels something ominous from the glint in her eyes.
"Calm down, Hisako!!. Soma could you put some clothes first".
"..Ah, right. Sorry".