The bell rang, signaling the end of another uneventful English class. Maxwell "Max" Tate slumped further into his chair, hoodie pulled over his head like a shield against the world. The room emptied quickly, students filing out in a rush to escape the monotony of school, their laughter echoing through the hallway. Max, however, took his time. No point in hurrying—no one was waiting for him.
Sliding his notebook into his backpack, he adjusted the straps over his broad shoulders. It dug in uncomfortably, but he was used to that. Walking through the hallways felt like navigating a battlefield. He kept his eyes on the scuffed tiles beneath his feet, avoiding the glances and whispers that he knew were aimed at him.
"Hey, Max!"
The voice made him flinch. He turned to see Nathan, a wiry kid from his math class, approaching with a grin that looked more like a smirk. Max's stomach sank.
"You ever think about joining the football team? We could use a lineman your size," Nathan said, his tone dripping with faux encouragement. A few kids behind him snickered.
Max forced a smile, the kind that barely lifted the corners of his mouth. "Nah, not really my thing," he mumbled, brushing past Nathan and his entourage.
The laughter followed him down the hallway.
Max found refuge in the library, where he could hide among the rows of books no one else seemed to care about. He settled into his usual spot, a corner table by the window that overlooked the soccer field. As he stared at the athletes running drills, his mind wandered.
He imagined himself out there—not as he was, but as he wanted to be. Powerful. Agile. A mountain of muscle that people admired, not mocked. The dream felt so far away it was almost laughable, but it was still there, buried under layers of self-doubt and fear.
"You're going to be late for gym, Max," came the sharp voice of Mrs. Campbell, the librarian, pulling him out of his thoughts.
Great. Gym class. Max's least favorite part of the day.
The gymnasium smelled like sweat and old rubber, and the sound of sneakers squeaking against the floor was deafening. Max changed into his gym clothes—a t-shirt that clung uncomfortably to his frame and a pair of shorts that felt too tight—and trudged out to join the rest of the class.
Today's activity was weightlifting, and Max could already feel the judgmental stares burning into his back as he approached the bench press. A group of guys from the basketball team were gathered nearby, showing off their reps like they were auditioning for a highlight reel.
Max loaded the bar with the smallest weights he could find, trying to ignore the snickers from the other side of the room. Lying back on the bench, he gripped the bar, his palms sweating.
"You got this," he whispered to himself, but as he pushed the bar upward, his arms shook violently. It felt heavier than it should have, and before he could fully extend his arms, the bar came crashing down onto the safety rack.
The sound echoed through the gym, and the laughter followed.
Later that night, Max lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His headphones blasted an old motivational speech he'd heard a million times, but the words felt hollow now.
"Why even bother?" he muttered.
His phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen. A fitness ad popped up—something about transforming your life in thirty days. He rolled his eyes and closed it, tossing the phone onto his nightstand.
As he stared at the ceiling, a strange shimmer filled his room. A translucent interface appeared in front of him, hovering in mid-air.
Welcome to the System.
Initializing User Profile...
Max sat up, heart pounding. "What the—"
Analyzing current physique...
Starting Stats:
Strength: 2/10
Stamina: 1/10
Muscle Growth: Minimal
Body Fat Percentage: 40%
Max blinked, rubbing his eyes, but the interface remained.
Do you want to change your life?
The words hung in the air, glowing faintly. Max stared at them, his heart racing.
For the first time in years, he felt something he hadn't in a long time.
Hope.
His hand trembled as he reached out and tapped "Yes."
The moment Max tapped Yes, the interface blinked, and the glowing words dissolved into a flurry of smaller icons and menus. They floated in front of him, as if inviting him to explore. He leaned forward cautiously, half-expecting the whole thing to disappear if he moved too quickly.
Welcome, Maxwell Tate!
Your journey to strength begins now.
Underneath the welcome message, a chime sounded, and a menu labeled Main Dashboard expanded.
MAIN DASHBOARD
Stats
Quests
Skills
Progress Visualizer
Inventory
His curiosity got the better of him, and he reached out to tap the Stats option. The menu shimmered and transformed, showing a detailed breakdown of his current physical condition.
STATS:
Strength: 2/10 (Beginner)
Stamina: 1/10 (Below Average)
Muscle Growth: Minimal
Flexibility: 2/10
Body Fat Percentage: 40%
"Well, this is… brutally honest," Max muttered, a faint smirk creeping onto his face despite himself. The interface didn't sugarcoat anything, but for some reason, it didn't feel discouraging. It was like looking at a game character—except this character was him.
Next, he tapped on Quests, and the screen shifted again.
QUESTS:
Starting Strong: Perform five push-ups in one set.
Reward: +1 Strength, Unlock Iron Grip Skill.
Baby Steps: Walk 5,000 steps in a single day.
Reward: +1 Stamina, Unlock Step Tracker Module.
Fuel for Change: Prepare a clean, balanced meal.
Reward: +1 Muscle Growth, Unlock Nutrition Guide Module.
First Lift: Complete a proper bench press (even with just the bar).
Reward: +1 Strength, +10 Experience Points.
Max's eyebrows shot up as he scrolled through the list. The tasks were simple—stuff he could actually do. Each came with rewards, which made the effort feel like it was worth something. It was like a fitness game, except it was his real life.
"Perform five push-ups, huh?" he mumbled. "Guess I've got no excuse not to try."
He backed out of the quests menu and selected Skills next. A smaller screen popped up, showing a list of locked abilities.
SKILLS (Locked):
Iron Grip: Increases grip strength, allowing for heavier lifts.Mind-Muscle Connection: Enhances focus, improving muscle activation during workouts.Hulk Mode: Temporarily boosts stamina during intense exercise.Recovery Boost: Speeds up muscle repair and reduces soreness.
Each skill had a short description and an icon—a glowing barbell, a flexing arm, and more. Max couldn't help but grin. The thought of unlocking these abilities made him feel like a character in a superhero origin story.
Finally, he opened the Progress Visualizer. A glowing, holographic figure appeared in front of him. At first, it looked exactly like him—broad, heavy, and slouched. But then the figure began to shift, slimming down and bulking up in all the right places. By the end, it stood tall and powerful, a near-perfect blend of size and definition.
Max's jaw dropped. The previewed version of himself looked unreal—massive arms, a thick chest, and an eight-pack that rivaled the athletes he'd always admired.
"This… this could be me?" he whispered, reaching out to touch the figure. His hand passed through the hologram, but it left a lasting impression in his mind.
The system chimed again, snapping him back to reality.
Daily Tip: Progress takes time, but every step forward brings you closer to your goal. Start small and stay consistent.
Max let out a slow breath. "Alright," he said quietly, his voice carrying a new edge of determination. "Let's do this."
He glanced at the Quests menu again. Five push-ups didn't sound like much, but it was a start. He slid off his bed and onto the floor, positioning his hands shoulder-width apart. His arms trembled as he lowered himself down, but he gritted his teeth and pushed back up.
One.
The system chimed softly, displaying a notification in the corner of his vision: 1/5 push-ups completed.
Max grinned, sweat already forming on his forehead. For the first time in a long time, he felt in control.
Max's arms burned by the time he hit the third push-up. His muscles were weak from years of disuse, and his body trembled with each movement. His face hovered inches above the floor as he struggled to push himself back up.
"C'mon, Max," he muttered through gritted teeth, his voice shaky. "You can do this."
He clenched his fists, summoning every ounce of strength in his body. Slowly but surely, his arms extended, and he completed his fourth push-up. His breaths came in short, ragged bursts now, and he collapsed onto the carpet, his arms refusing to lift him again.
Progress Update: 4/5 push-ups completed.
Max groaned and rolled onto his back, staring up at the glowing system interface floating in the air. "Four. Just one more. Seriously?" He wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his hoodie and closed his eyes for a moment, catching his breath.
The system chimed again, displaying a message.
Tip: Progress isn't about perfection. Rest if you need to, but don't quit.
That was all the motivation Max needed. He clenched his fists, sat up, and got back into position. His arms still trembled, and his chest felt tight, but the fire in his chest—the desire to change—overpowered the discomfort. With a deep breath, he lowered himself one final time.
His muscles screamed in protest, but he pushed through it, locking out his arms as he completed the fifth push-up.
The system chimed louder this time, flashing a notification.
Quest Completed: Starting Strong!
Reward: +1 Strength
New Skill Unlocked: Iron Grip
Max flopped onto the floor, completely spent but grinning like an idiot. He let out a breathless laugh as he watched the stats menu update.
Strength: 2 → 3
A faint warmth spread through his body, almost like an electric buzz under his skin. He didn't feel like Superman or anything, but his muscles somehow felt a little less fatigued, a little more alive.
The system interrupted his thoughts with another notification.
Skill Unlocked: Iron Grip
Description: Your grip strength has improved, allowing you to hold heavier weights and maintain better control during lifts.
Max flexed his hands experimentally, clenching and unclenching his fists. It didn't feel all that different, but the knowledge that he was already improving sent a surge of pride through him. For once, he didn't feel like a failure. He'd started, and that was more than he could say for most days.
He sat up, his gaze wandering back to the system's interface. His curiosity got the better of him, and he tapped the Quests menu again, eager to see what was next.
New Quest Available:
Name: Basic Cardio
Objective: Walk 5,000 steps in one day.
Reward: +1 Stamina, Unlock Step Tracker Module
Name: First Lift (Updated)
Objective: Complete a proper bench press (even with just the bar).
Reward: +1 Strength, +10 Experience Points
Name: Fuel for Change
Objective: Prepare a clean, balanced meal.
Reward: +1 Muscle Growth, Unlock Nutrition Guide Module
He frowned at the "First Lift" quest, thinking back to earlier in the gym. The memory of the bar crashing onto the safety rack still stung, but now… maybe he had a shot. He clenched his fists, determination flickering in his eyes.
"Tomorrow," he muttered. "Tomorrow, I'm gonna nail it."
As he stared at the list, his stomach growled. He hadn't eaten since lunch, and the thought of greasy pizza rolls in the freezer made his mouth water. But then he noticed the Fuel for Change quest.
Prepare a clean, balanced meal? He didn't even know where to start. Cooking wasn't exactly his forte, but the reward—+1 Muscle Growth—was tempting.
"Well," he said to himself, hauling himself off the floor and grabbing his phone, "guess I'd better figure out how to make something that's not junk food."
He typed "healthy easy meals" into the search bar, scrolling through recipes for chicken and rice bowls, stir-fries, and salads. One recipe caught his eye: grilled chicken, broccoli, and brown rice. Simple enough, right?
Max's grin widened as he closed the app. He had a long way to go, but for the first time in years, he felt like he was finally on the right path.