The following hours of training were hellish, bordering on inhuman. Every exercise was meticulously measured to demand the maximum level of effort, but never beyond Julian's abilities, allowing him to complete every last rep—even if he felt he was losing his sanity in the process. The pain was so intense it felt like his muscles were on fire.
Currently, Julian was bench pressing a heavy steel bar while lying flat on a bench. His face was red as he pushed with all his might, his arms trembling like twigs.
Yura had called this exercise the "bench press," explaining it worked the chest. The bar alone weighed 44 pounds. Adding two 22-pound weights, one on each side, meant Julian was pressing a total of 88 pounds on only his second day. He had never lifted so much weight in his life.
Other gym members watched him with a mix of awe and respect. They weren't impressed by the weight itself, which wasn't particularly impressive, but rather by the sheer display of willpower. With a single glance, it was clear that the weight was too much for Julian, who had to push to his limits on each rep, coming close to failure… yet, against all odds, he completed every set without missing a single rep.
They assumed Julian must have astounding willpower, though that wasn't quite true.
Julian only had seven points of willpower, slightly above average but not remarkable. So how was he managing it? The secret was Kim Yura, who used her system's abilities (Super Trainer System) to help Julian get through his training perfectly.
Finally, Julian completed his last rep, placing the bar back on the rack. The workout was over.
⟦ Congratulations! The user has completed their daily training. ⟧
⟦ Results are greatly enhanced: +1 Physical Condition, +2 Willpower. ⟧
⟦ The user has lost 6.8 pounds (3.1 kg). ⟧
╔══════⟦ ◈ JULIAN CROSS ◈ ⟧══════╗
➣ Level: 3
➣ Favor of Destiny: Unfortunate (★☆☆☆☆☆☆)
➣ Luck Points (LP): 13
➣ Occupation: Nerdy Student
➣ Partner: Beatrice (stepmother / temporary girlfriend)
────────────────────
➣ Body Type: Obese → Overweight (new!)
⤷ Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.82 m)
⤷ Weight: 202 lb (92 kg) ↓
────────────────────
➣ Stats:
⤷ Charm: 4 ↑
⤷ Intelligence: 7
⤷ Willpower: 9 ↑
⤷ Physical Condition: 4 ↑
⤷ Wealth: 2
⤷ Status: 2
────────────────────
➣ System Services
⤷ [ ✦ Luck Roulette ✦ ]
⤷ [ ✦ Achievement System ✦ ]
⤷ [ ✦ Skills Shop ✦ ]
────────────────────
➣ Skills:
Probability Vision
────────────────────
➣ Inventory:
Roulette Tickets X 10
╚═══════⟦ END ⟧═══════╝
Applause sounded beside him. It came from Kim Yura, who had been close by the entire time, strictly guiding him through his workout. Julian felt very grateful to her.
"Well done, Julian. Your muscle mass is increasing, though it's not visible yet because of all that fat. In a few days, the results will be more noticeable," she said as she looked him over from head to toe.
"That's good. How long will it take to lose all this useless fat?"
"A week and a half."
"A WHAT?" Julian's eyes widened. He hadn't expected it to be that fast—he thought it would take at least a month.
"Hmm… I guess you've been misled by the numbers on the scale. It's a common mistake. Losing 6.8 pounds doesn't reflect only the fat you've lost. Think of it this way: while you're losing fat, you're also gaining muscle. The weight you lose isn't an accurate indicator of your progress; it's about the fat-to-muscle ratio in your body."
Julian felt enlightened by her words. He hadn't considered it that way, though it was understandable since he'd never been interested in exercise.
"Then I'll be able to get my dream physique pretty soon…"
"Indeed, but for that, I need you to tell me what type of body you want. With my help, you could even be the next Mr. Olympia. And you wouldn't need steroids or any strange substances."
"… I'm not that crazy. Mr. Olympia competitors are too big and muscular for my taste. I want a physique that's as aesthetic and toned as possible, with perfectly sculpted muscles that drive women wild."
"Hmm… I think I get it. You want an aesthetic physique. Aesthetic models have very harmonious and sleek bodies, with perfect abs, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. This is, essentially, the ideal male physique."
"Yes! That's exactly what I'm looking for. I'm tired of being fat. By the way, could you help me improve my facial features to be more handsome?"
"Of course, that's very simple. I could even turn you into a woman if you wanted."
"I'll pass, thanks…"
"Ha! Your loss," Kim Yura teased with a hint of mischief. "Back to the point, I've actually enhanced some men's appearances before, like Yuan Cao. He was already pretty handsome, but as you've noticed, he now looks like a prince out of a fairy tale. In a way, he's my masterpiece. I didn't directly alter his face; I just enhanced his features to their maximum natural potential."
In short, Kim Yura had used her techniques to improve the looks of Yuan Cao, her primary partner. And she'd probably done the same with her other boyfriends.
Julian was surprised at first, but after thinking about it, he found it normal. Most protagonists in light novels do the same with their partners or love interests, offering pills that expel impurities or divine techniques to achieve similar results.
Kim Yura referred to Yuan Cao as her "masterpiece," implying he's the most handsome of her harem members. It's likely that destiny predisposed him to fit Yura's tastes perfectly.
Damn protagonists…
"Since you're a valuable student of mine, I can naturally enhance your features to their most perfect natural state, so it'll still be your face, just improved. Of course, this will progress alongside your training."
⟦ Destiny and luck fluctuations detected. ⟧
⟦ Kim Yura's destiny [Daughter of Heaven (★★★★★★☆)] is starting to affect the user's destiny [Unfortunate (★☆☆☆☆☆☆)] to control it. It is recommended to proceed with caution and avoid getting too involved with Kim Yura. ⟧
⟦ If your Charm surpasses 20, Kim Yura's destiny favor may activate to turn you into a member of her harem. This means future events will align in Yura's favor to achieve this goal. ⟧
All alarms went off with this warning. Kim Yura's destiny was powerful enough to unconsciously assimilate his. For a protagonist, everything must revolve around them, and as an outsider, it seemed Julian was about to be classified as a "target."