James does his afternoon check-up, casually assessing if I'm healed enough to get beaten up again. He jots it down, pretending to check my eyes before moving on to my blood pressure. With a nod, he makes another note and shuts his file. A sigh escapes him.
"Things are looking good, Mr. Volkov... In a week, you'll be good as new." A smirk tugs at his lips as he glances at his watch. "I'll call it a day," he mutters, heading for the door.
"Excuse me," I call after him.
He stops, irritated. "What now?"
"Could I access the gym?"
"For what?"
I stretch lazily. "Laying here all day is getting dull. A bit of exercise might speed up my recovery, plus it'll be entertaining."
"Whatever. Suit yourself," he huffs and walks out.
I wait, knowing they'll be here any moment. Sure enough, the door swings open, and in stroll Marc and Vin, carrying a red plastic dish.
"Hey man, I know the food's awful here, but this is a better than the ones they serve you here," Marc chuckles, lifting the lid.
Inside are three pieces of meat, a rice ball, some greens, and a side of chili. They know I like my food spicy.
Before they can sit, a loud bell rings throughout the compound.
"Ugh, another three-hour session with Mrs. Lucy?" Marc groans as they head for the door.
"Wish I was in your shoes," Vincent mutters, following him out.
Discipline—that's Mrs. Lucy's mantra. It's the foundation of being a bodyguard. Oh, and before I forget, there's a female section too. But we only see them during day training, and even then, we "trash" rarely interact with them—except when they send us to the canteen for snacks.
At night, female lecturers are rare, except for Mrs. Lucy. That woman's a viper. On my first day, I saw her take down three of the top seniors. In my previous life, I watched her save a client on death's doorstep. She's more machine than human.
Now, the compound is quiet—just the sound of crickets. Their session runs till nine-thirty. Plenty of time for my evening workout. Right, ELL, shall we head out?
Beep.
Day 1: Evening Strength Training Session Begins ( Time 7:00 P.M.)
The gym was dimly lit, with only a few glowing lights along the ceiling. It was quieter than in the mornings, the faint sound of metal clinking as the night crew worked through their own exercises. I stepped inside and felt a pulse of anticipation run through me. My system hummed to life as soon as I crossed the threshold, and with a soft beep, the screen flickered in front of me, laying out today's task:
***
Objective: Complete all strength tasks within the time limit.
Time Limit: 60 minutes.
Reward: +75 Power Points.
Penalty: -10 Power Points if unfinished.
The gym doors shut behind me, and I could feel the weight of the evening settle over my shoulders. No turning back now. I remove my patient scrub remaining with a black military vest. I jump around for a few seconds.
The Warm-Up (7:05 PM)
I made my way to the bench press, the cold metal bar familiar in my hands. The timer on the system started counting down as soon as I touched it.
Task 1: Max Rep Challenge – Weight Lifting
Goal: Complete all rounds in 15 minutes.
Round 1: 60% of body weight.
My muscles were still stiff from the day's activities, but the weight felt light as I went through the motions. The gym's silence was interrupted only by the soft hum of the timer in the background.
Ufff!!!
Ugh!!!
Beep.
+5 Power Points.
Time Left: 55 minutes.
Round 2: 75% of body weight.
The lights in the gym flickered slightly as I focused on lifting. The increased weight slowed me down, but I kept a steady rhythm.
Beep.
+5 Power Points.
Time Left: 52 minutes.
Round 3: 90% of body weight.
The strain was starting to build now. I could feel my arms quiver as I pushed the bar upward, sweat trickling down my forehead.
Ugh!!!
Ufff!!!
Beep.
+5 Power Points.
Time Left: 49 minutes.
Final Round: Max body weight.
With each rep, I could hear my breath loud in my ears, the strain of the task intensifying. I barely managed to complete the last rep, my arms burning as I racked the weight.
Beep.
+10 Power Points.
Time Left: 45 minutes.
The Tire Flip & Sledgehammer Smash (7:15 PM)
I moved quickly to the next station, where a large, heavy tire waited for me. The air felt cooler now, almost too quiet in the darkened gym.
Task 2: Explosive Training – Tire Flip & Sledgehammer Smash
Goal: Complete 10 flips and 30 hammer strikes within 10 minutes.
Tire Flip:
I grunted as I lifted the heavy tire, each flip making a dull thud as it slammed to the ground. The clock kept ticking, but I stayed focused.
Beep.
+3 Power Points.
Time Left: 35 minutes.
Sledgehammer Smash: I grabbed the hammer and swung it down with all my remaining strength, the repetitive crash against the tire filling the air. The beeping system urged me to finish faster.
Beep.
+3 Power Points.
Time Left: 32 minutes.
Ugh!!!!
Uffff!!!!!
Bodyweight Strength Circuit (7:30 PM)
I wiped the sweat from my brow as I shifted to the bodyweight circuit. The next set of tasks appeared before me in glowing red text:
Task 3: Bodyweight Strength Circuit
Goal: Complete the circuit without rest in 8 minutes.
Pull-ups: My arms burned from the bench press earlier, but I gripped the bar tightly and pulled myself up. Each rep took more effort than I expected.
Beep.
+2 Power Points.
Time Left: 28 minutes.
Push-ups: The fatigue was setting in. Every push-up felt like moving through quicksand, but I forced my body to comply.
Beep.
+2 Power Points.
Time Left: 25 minutes.
Pistol Squats: The silence in the gym was oppressive as I powered through the squats, my legs shaking from the strain.
Beep.
+2 Power Points.
Time Left: 22 minutes.
Plank Hold: My muscles screamed for rest as I held the plank position, my core tightening with each passing second. I kept my focus on the timer as it counted down.
Beep.
+2 Power Points.
Time Left: 20 minutes.
Burpees: I was drenched in sweat by the time I got to the burpees. My body was nearing its limit, but I refused to stop.
Beep.
+2 Power Points.
Completion Bonus: +10 Power Points for completing without rest.
Time Left: 18 minutes.
The Weighted Carry (7:40 PM)
The sandbags awaited me in the corner of the gym, heavier than they looked. I hoisted them onto my shoulders, the strain on my muscles immediate.
Task 4: Weighted Carry
Goal: Complete three rounds within 10 minutes.
Each step felt heavier than the last, my legs nearly buckling under the weight. But I made it to the end of the first lap, then the second, and finally the third.
Beep.
+5 Power Points per round.
Total: +15 Power Points.
Time Left: 8 minutes.
Bonus Task – Max Time Hold (7:50 PM)
The final challenge loomed before me: a simple weighted plate hold. My muscles were already screaming for rest, but the system wouldn't let me leave until I completed this last task.
Task 5: Max Time Hold
Goal: Hold the plate above your head for 5 minutes.
I hoisted the plate over my head, my arms trembling instantly. The beeps from the system echoed through the empty gym as the seconds dragged on. By the third minute, my entire body felt like it was on fire. I fought to keep the plate up, knowing this was the final push.
Beep.
+10 Power Points.
Time Left: 1 minute.
Completion (7:55 PM)
As the final beep echoed in the gym, I collapsed onto the floor, my chest heaving as I gasped for breath. The system flashed the completion screen in front of my eyes, the blue light a soft reward for my efforts.
Daily training session completed;
Total Power Points Earned: 75;
Ugh!!
My legs were vibrating, and I felt like I was about to collapse. I struggle to my feet as I head for my scrub t-shirt and head out. Still, enough time before they come out. Reaching my room, I gabbled down the food, not minding if it was cold and soon I headed for a cold shower. The drops were so chilling but after a few minutes, I felt so refreshed as I rubbed the still-healing scar from the bat.
Status.
[User: Alexei Volkov]
[Profession: Bodyguard]
[Level: Novice]
[Nickname: None]
[Potential: Low]
[H.P: 50%]
[S.P: 55%]
[Strength: 82/1000]
[Agility: 80/1000]
[Endurance: 75/1000]
Mental stat
Mental Stats
[P.P: 105/1000]
[E.P: 10/500]
[Perception: 9/10]
[Willpower: 8/10]
[Focus: 7/10]
[Tactical Foresight: 6]
Ugh! Still, a long way to go.
I couldn't hold on until the end. I was so exhausted that the moment I hit the soft mattress, I was out. My mind sank deep into darkness, gunshots echoed relentlessly, accompanied by a woman's cries. I couldn't make out her words, but I could hear her heavy breathing as she ran. What is this...
Tiiiiii!!!
I jolted awake to the shrill alarm set by the system. My breath came in ragged gasps, sweat coating my skin.
Nightmare detected… How do you want to proceed?
Talk about it....
Ignore and proceed to morning schedule....
Ignore.
I took a moment to steady my breath before dropping to the cold floor. The weight of yesterday's training pressed down on me, but I had no time to waste. I needed to build my strength. As I stepped out into the chill of the early morning, I noted the clock—it was around four o'clock, just an hour until the senior assembly.