Max's hands gripped the cold metal of the dumbbells, the weight a familiar but still challenging presence in his palms. He stood with his feet planted firmly on the gym floor, the only sound around him the quiet thrum of the gym's hustle. He glanced at his dad, who had been setting up for his own set of heavy lifts.
"Alright, Max, we're starting easy with these," Marcus said, eyeing the dumbbells. "Just a warm-up to get your form down, okay?"
Max nodded, doing his best to shake off the nerves that still lingered from the earlier interaction with Emma. He could feel the eyes of a few gym-goers drifting in his direction, but he pushed it out of his mind. He was here for one thing only—to get stronger.
He started with a set of curls, the dumbbells heavy but manageable. His dad watched him carefully, his arms crossed over his chest, not saying a word. As Max powered through the sets, he felt his muscles burning, but it wasn't unbearable. In fact, it felt... good.
He switched to chest presses, keeping his focus on form as his arms extended and retracted, pushing the weights in a fluid motion. The dumbbells were a bit heavier than he anticipated, but they didn't seem to phase him. Max kept pushing through, his breath steady, muscles working in rhythm.
It wasn't until the third set—after Max had completed 10 reps of each movement—that Marcus spoke up, his voice full of disbelief.
"Wait a minute," Marcus muttered, his eyes widening. "How are you—"
Max glanced over at him, sweat beading at his brow. "What?"
"Those weights… You're lifting them like they're nothing." His dad took a step closer, disbelief turning to surprise as he scanned Max from head to toe. "Max, these are the same weights you struggled with last year when we were at home. And now..."
Max paused, looking at the dumbbells in his hands. It was true—they did feel lighter than expected. Not easy, exactly, but certainly less of a struggle than it should have been.
"Wait, are you serious?" Max asked, his brows furrowing. "I thought I was just pushing through because I was focused."
Marcus rubbed his jaw, still eyeing his son in shock. "I'm dead serious. You're supposed to be warming up, but you're lifting these like it's no big deal. This isn't just progress—it's insane."
Max's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected to impress his dad like this, especially not on his first real day at the gym.
"Is that… good?" Max asked cautiously, not sure whether to be excited or surprised.
Marcus's grin spread wider, and he slapped him on the back hard enough to make Max stumble a bit. "Hell yeah, that's good. You're lifting like someone who's been training for months, not someone who's just starting. This is gonna be a hell of a journey, kid."
Max could feel his chest swell with pride, but there was still a part of him trying to make sense of the sudden jump in his strength. He didn't feel like he was that much stronger than before, but the numbers didn't lie, did they? His system stats must have been working, the quests and the challenges setting him up for this kind of progress.
Just then, Max felt a wave of doubt hit him. Was he really ready for this level of training? His mind started racing, but then he remembered Emma's words—"It's all about showing up and giving it your best." And that's exactly what he was doing.
"You're not messing around, huh?" Marcus added with a chuckle, watching him set the dumbbells back on the rack.
Max smiled, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Nope, not anymore. I'm all in."
"Good," Marcus said, his voice now a bit softer, proud. "Because if you can handle that, then you're ready for the real test. But don't expect me to go easy on you, kid."
Max felt a surge of confidence. Today wasn't just about lifting weights—it was about breaking through whatever mental barriers he had. And with his dad by his side, and maybe a little help from that system, he knew there was nothing he couldn't do.
As they moved to the next station, Max noticed Emma in the corner of his eye, now finishing her set. She glanced over at him briefly, offering him a quick thumbs-up.
Max couldn't help but grin, feeling a little more confident with each passing moment. He wasn't alone in this anymore. With support, a growing strength, and the drive to keep pushing forward, the journey was just beginning.
Max paused for a moment, standing in front of the deadlift bar, eyeing the weights stacked high. The thought of lifting them without any assistance made his palms sweat. But then he remembered his system, the one that had been tracking his progress since he'd started this journey. He reached for the interface in his mind, activating his Iron Grip skill.
Iron Grip
Activated: Improved grip strength for heavier lifts.
The familiar, subtle hum of the system coursed through his fingers, and Max could feel an immediate difference in his hands. His fingers tightened around the bar with ease, as though his hands had become one with the metal. The usual struggle he'd faced during deadlifts—trying to maintain a solid grip—was gone.
Marcus, who had been adjusting the weights on the bar, noticed Max's focused expression. "You good to go?"
Max nodded, feeling a newfound sense of power in his hands. "Yeah, I'm good. Let's see how this goes."
He took a deep breath, focusing on his form. With his dad's voice guiding him, Max bent at the hips, gripping the bar tighter than ever. He pushed through his heels, pulling the weight upward. His body moved in sync, muscles firing with precision as he stood up straight, the heavy bar lifting off the floor with minimal resistance.
That's way easier than last time, Max thought to himself as he stood at the top, holding the weight for a moment before gently lowering it back down.
His dad's eyebrows shot up. "Damn, Max. You didn't even flinch. How much did you put on there?"
Max glanced at the weights. "I think I added a little extra… but it felt easier than usual."
Marcus looked at him, narrowing his eyes. "Are you telling me you just lifted that without a struggle? You've been training for what, five minutes?"
Max grinned, his confidence growing by the second. "Seems like it, huh? Must be the Iron Grip."
Marcus gave him a skeptical look, before walking over and inspecting the bar. "Well, I'll be damned… your grip's solid. You've got some power in you. Just make sure you're not overdoing it with the weights."
Max nodded, still a little surprised at how easily the lift had gone. The Iron Grip had made all the difference. He felt the burn in his muscles, but it wasn't the usual strain—this felt like a sign of progress, real progress.
"Alright, I'll keep it light," Max said, lowering the weight back to the ground with a controlled motion. "But I think I'm ready for the next challenge."
Marcus raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "You're on fire today. Alright, let's move to the next lift. But you're not escaping the squats. I'll be watching you like a hawk."
Max chuckled, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. He hadn't expected to feel this good, this strong, so soon. But as he glanced around the gym, his eyes briefly catching Emma's again, he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of purpose.
This was just the beginning, and he wasn't going to stop now.
Max approached the squat rack, staring at the barbell in front of him. It looked like a monster compared to the weights he had been lifting so far. His legs were still a bit shaky from the deadlifts, but he had made it this far, and there was no turning back now.
Before grabbing the bar, he mentally accessed his system, feeling the familiar buzz of the interface.
System Tip:
Squats are all about form. Keep your chest up, back straight, and push through your heels. Don't let your knees go past your toes. Start light and focus on controlled movement.
Max nodded silently to himself, taking a deep breath. The system's advice gave him a little reassurance, but he still had to work through it. He carefully approached the bar and placed it on his shoulders, making sure it felt stable. It was heavy, but he wasn't going to let that stop him.
He took a moment to focus on his posture, just like the system had advised. His chest was up, back straight, and his feet were positioned just right. He bent his knees, lowering himself into the squat position, careful to make sure his knees didn't pass his toes. His thighs burned as he reached the bottom, but he powered through, pushing himself back up with slow, controlled movement.
He made it through the first rep and paused at the top, breathless but feeling a sense of accomplishment. His legs were on fire, but the motion felt more natural now. He set himself up for the next squat, this time focusing on keeping everything in line. He pushed through his heels, concentrating on steadying his body as he lowered himself again.
It wasn't easy. Each rep felt harder than the last. But Max didn't let that stop him. He could feel the muscle engagement, the burn in his legs, but there was something about the slow, controlled movements that felt right. The system's advice echoed in his head as he completed another rep, making sure not to rush.
With each squat, he felt more confident. The weight felt less intimidating with each controlled movement. He was starting to get the hang of it, his muscles adapting, his form improving.
Marcus, who had been watching from the side, raised an eyebrow as he noticed Max's focus. "Not bad, kid. You're keeping your form tight. But don't overdo it. Go light today, build it up slowly."
Max didn't say anything, just nodded, his breathing a little heavier now. He wasn't about to let the system's secret slip. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to think he had an easy way out. No, this was all him. The progress, the strength—it was all earned.
He finished his set and racked the barbell with a slight grunt. His legs felt like jelly, but in a good way. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes scanning the gym for a brief moment before they landed on Emma, who was wrapping up her own workout. She gave him a quick smile, and Max couldn't help but feel a little spark of motivation, like he was doing something right.
He didn't need to share his progress with anyone. The secret of his system was his own, and he was more than fine with that. The journey ahead was still long, but with every rep, he felt closer to becoming the person he had always dreamed of. Strong, confident, and unstoppable.