The system notification for Daily Task chimed, pulling Max's attention to the screen. It felt strangely reassuring to have a daily task like everyone else—a structured challenge that promised consistent growth, one of the few things that felt normal about his Abyssal Dominion system. He opened the task menu with cautious optimism, but the list wiped any relief from his mind.
Daily Task: Shadowrune
20 push-ups
20 sit-ups
20 handstands
2 km run
Mana Drain (20 times): Deplete your mana pool 20 times by using mana-based abilities.
Breathing Control: Hold breath for 100 seconds. Breathe normally for 100 seconds. Hold breath for 200 seconds, then breathe normally for 100 seconds. Hold breath for 300 seconds, and so on, until you reach 1000 seconds without stopping.
Max stared at the task list, heart sinking. The physical exercises would already be difficult with his weight, but the real challenge lay in Mana Drain and the brutal Breathing Control.
The Mana Drain seemed straightforward: he'd have to use mana until he depleted his reserves 20 times.He turned to Bone Manipulation. At first, he tried moving his own bones, but the sheer difficulty—likely due to his weight—made it almost impossible. Frustrated, he tested his skill on Sam while he slept, managing to make Sam's leg twitching vigorously before exhausting his mana.
The Breathing Control was a whole different struggle. It involved holding his breath for gradually increasing times: 100 seconds, then 200 seconds, then 300, until he reached 1000 seconds without stopping. Max struggled; every time he hit the third or fourth round, he'd run out of air, his body forcing him to stop before he could complete the task. Days passed with no progress and, worse, no experience points.
By the fourth day, Max decided to try something drastic. He approached Sam with a strange request.
"Sam," Max said seriously, "I need you to hold me underwater until I reach the right time."
Sam's eyes went wide with alarm. "Are you insane? You could pass out, or worse!"
Max held his gaze. "I need this, Sam. I'm going to fail without it. Just pull me out if I tap you, okay?"
Reluctantly, Sam agreed, visibly uneasy. Max took a deep breath, dunking his head in the tub as Sam held him under. Each second dragged as his lungs burned, screaming for oxygen, but he fought to stay calm. Just before he hit his breaking point, Sam pulled him up, and Max gasped for air, feeling a rush of satisfaction despite the struggle.
Congratulations! Daily Task Complete: +100 XP
Max blinked, surprised. Most students earned only a handful of experience from daily tasks, sometimes double digits for something particularly hard. But 100 XP? He was onto something powerful.
As days passed, Max noticed physical changes as well. The grueling exercises and controlled breathing were rapidly trimming away his excess weight. By the end of the week, he had shed 5 kilograms, mostly liquid fat, and felt leaner than he had in a long time.
On the sixth day, Max, much to Sam's relief started to complete the Breathing Control alone, his lungs felt hot but his body cold . Just as he finished, another notification appeared:
Achievement Unlocked: Abyssal Breathing Technique
Congratulations! You've have started using the Abyssal Breathing Technique (Stage 1). Using this technique will now rejuvenate you at 5 times the normal rate (Everything that restores over time is done at 5 times the speed) .
Max's eyes widened. Normally, regenerating 1 point of mana took 100 seconds. Now, it would only take 20 seconds with this breathing technique. He'd heard rumors of breathing techniques in other systems. The Sun Clan of the Greian System, for instance, had a method to double mana regeneration, but it drained stamina. His technique had no such drawback. Instead, each round left him feeling stronger.
On the seventh day, after a full day spent refining his breathing technique, the system chimed again:
Max Mana Increased by 1.
Max's excitement surged as he checked his status. This path wasn't going to be easy, but he was beginning to see the immense potential of his system. The pain, the struggle—none of it mattered anymore. With his Abyssal Breathing and a relentless drive, he was ready for whatever the upcoming tutorial would throw at him.