The morning sun hadn't fully risen yet, and the village was still covered in a blanket of mist. Ravi stood near the village gate, hands in his pockets, watching as the sky slowly lightened. Today was the day. He was going to see what this world's training was like, and more importantly, begin his journey to physical mastery.
Shin arrived a few minutes later, as energetic as ever.
"Ready to train?" he asked with a grin.
"Yeah, let's see what this place has to offer," Ravi replied, falling in step with him as they made their way up the hill toward the training ground.
The trek wasn't far, but the rising incline made it a bit of a workout. By the time they reached the training ground, Ravi could already feel his muscles waking up. He glanced around, taking in the sight. The so-called training ground was simple—a clearing in the hills with some basic wooden dummies for striking, a few racks of rusted weapons, and some rocks and logs that were clearly used for lifting.
Ravi frowned. This wasn't what he expected.
Shin noticed his reaction and chuckled. "It's not much, I know. But it gets the job done."
Ravi walked over to one of the wooden dummies and gave it a light punch. The wood was old and splintered. He sighed inwardly. This wouldn't be enough. Back in his previous life, he had spent time in the gym, lifting weights and training his body. He knew what it took to build strength and endurance. And this… this was not going to cut it.
"I guess it's fine for starters," Ravi said, trying to hide his disappointment.
Shin, oblivious to Ravi's true thoughts, began warming up. He picked up a rusty sword and started swinging it, testing its weight and balance.
Ravi, meanwhile, wandered over to the rocks and logs. He knew from experience that lifting heavy objects could build strength, but these makeshift weights were uneven and awkward. Not the kind of thing he was used to.
As he picked up a large stone and tested its weight, his mind raced. **This isn't enough. If I want to become truly strong, I need more than just basic training. I need a way to push my body to its absolute limits.**
Just as that thought crossed his mind, something strange happened.
A sharp pain shot through his head, causing him to drop the stone. He clutched his temples, stumbling backward as his vision blurred. For a moment, everything went dark, and then, a bright light flashed before his eyes.
A screen appeared in front of him, floating in mid-air. It looked like the interface of a video game, with glowing text and a simple design.
Ravi blinked in shock, his heart racing. **This… this is it. The system.**
The words on the screen were clear:
---
**[Hell World Traveling System]**
**Welcome, user. Your journey to becoming stronger begins now.**
**First Task: Survive the Hell World for one year.**
- **Time in Hell World:** 1 year (real-world time equivalent: 1 day)
- **Objective:** Train your body to the limit without dying.
- **Reward:** Enhanced physical strength, agility, and endurance.
---
Ravi stared at the screen, his mind racing. This was just like the system from Solo Leveling—a cheat-like ability that allowed the user to grow stronger through challenges. But unlike Solo Leveling, this system had no voice. It simply showed the interface, leaving him to interpret the information.
"Survive for a year…" Ravi whispered to himself.
The ground beneath him suddenly shifted, and before he could react, a black portal opened up beneath his feet. His heart leaped into his throat as he felt himself falling into the void.
---
Ravi landed hard on the ground, gasping as the wind was knocked out of him. He lay there for a moment, disoriented, before pushing himself up and taking in his surroundings.
He wasn't in the training ground anymore.
The air here was thick and oppressive, with a crimson sky that loomed overhead. The landscape was barren, nothing but jagged rocks and uneven terrain as far as the eye could see. In the distance, he could hear strange, echoing howls—beasts, no doubt. The kind of creatures that thrived in a world like this.
**So, this is the Hell World**, he thought grimly, standing up and dusting himself off. He looked down at his hands—they were trembling slightly, not from fear, but from the adrenaline pumping through his veins.
The system screen popped up again, displaying the same message:
---
**First Task: Survive the Hell World for one year.**
---
Ravi took a deep breath. He knew what he had to do. This was the system's way of giving him the training he needed. One year in this world would be like a crucible, forging his body into something far stronger than what he could have achieved with basic village training.
**No pain, no gain**, he thought, recalling the gym mantra from his past life.
He began walking, surveying the land around him. There was nothing here but rocks, mountains in the distance, and whatever creatures made those eerie howls. He had no food, no water, and no shelter. This was going to be survival in its purest form.
Ravi approached one of the larger rocks and decided to start his training immediately. He crouched down, gripped the rock, and lifted it with a grunt, using every bit of strength he had. The weight was immense, but he pushed through, holding it above his head. Sweat poured down his face as his muscles screamed in protest, but he refused to give in.
**If I can't even do this, how am I supposed to survive here?**
The thought drove him to keep going. He lowered the rock, then lifted it again, repeating the process over and over. Each time, his arms shook with the effort, but his determination never wavered.
He trained like this for hours, pushing his body to its limits. He ran across the rocky terrain, climbed jagged cliffs, and used the heavy stones to build his strength. His body ached, his muscles burned, and his lungs felt like they were going to burst. But he kept going.
---
Days passed in the Hell World—days filled with grueling physical training. Ravi had no idea how much time had passed in the real world, but the system assured him that only a single day would go by. In this world, however, it felt like months had gone by. His body had grown leaner, his muscles harder, and his endurance far greater.
At night, when the crimson sky turned black and the howls grew louder, Ravi would find a small cave to shelter in, using the time to rest and recover. The Hell World was unforgiving, but it was exactly what he needed. He had no distractions here—just pure, relentless training.
One day, as he was lifting a particularly large boulder, the system screen flashed again.
---
**Task Progress: 50% Complete.**
---
Ravi smirked. **I'm getting there.**
He set the boulder down and wiped the sweat from his brow, looking out at the desolate landscape. He was halfway through his first task, and his body was already far stronger than it had been when he first arrived. But he wasn't satisfied yet.
**I'll keep going**, he thought. **I'm going to push myself until I reach my limit—and then break through it.**
With that resolve, Ravi continued his training, determined to emerge from the Hell World as someone far stronger than he had ever been.