Jin sat cross-legged on the wooden floor of his modest new apartment, staring at the system notification still floating in front of him. His hoodie was discarded on the couch, drenched in sweat from his earlier run, and his chest heaved with exhaustion.
[Daily Tasks Progress Updated]
- Jog 5 kilometers: 5/5 (Complete)
- Perform 200 pushups: 0/200
- Drink 2 liters of water: 0/2
- Practice basic hygiene (brush teeth, shower, etc.): 0/2
He let out a groan. "That was just the jogging? How do people even live like this?"
His body ached, and every muscle felt like it was protesting against his very existence. Still, there was a faint glimmer of satisfaction. He hadn't thought he could finish the run, but he had.
"You're not just going to quit now, are you?" he muttered to himself, his voice filled with determination.
Dragging himself to his feet, Jin stumbled toward the kitchen. He grabbed a water bottle from the counter and drank greedily, draining it in seconds.
[Task Progress Updated: Drink 2 liters of water – 1/2]
"Well, at least that's something," he said, wiping his mouth.
He turned his attention to the next task: 200 pushups. Just the thought made his arms ache. He dropped to the floor and tried one, his arms trembling beneath him.
"One…" he grunted, barely pushing himself up.
The second one was harder, and by the fifth, his arms gave out completely. Jin collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air.
"This is impossible," he muttered, rolling onto his back. But as he lay there, staring at the cracked ceiling, he remembered the dragon, the way he'd fought tooth and nail in that hellish dimension.
"If I could kill something like that," he whispered, "then I can do this too."
Hours later, after countless breaks and failed attempts, Jin finally completed the 200 pushups. His arms felt like jelly, and every muscle in his body screamed in protest, but the notification made it worth it.
[Task Progress Updated: Perform 200 pushups – 200/200 (Complete)]
He flopped onto the floor, too exhausted to celebrate.
After a shower and a half-hearted attempt at brushing his teeth, Jin sat on his couch, wrapped in a thin blanket. His small television buzzed with static, the old antenna barely picking up a signal.
He wasn't watching it, though. His mind was elsewhere.
"I killed a dragon," he whispered to himself for the hundredth time. The memory still felt unreal. His first fight, the searing heat of its flames, the way his blade had sliced through its flesh—every detail played over and over in his mind.
"I really did it," he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
But that smile faded quickly. The world hadn't changed. People still thought he was dead. Tae Joon and his kind still walked free, basking in their power and fame.
"What am I supposed to do now?" Jin muttered, leaning back against the couch.
The next morning, Jin woke to the sound of his phone buzzing again. He groaned, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. His muscles were still sore, but not as much as the day before.
As he glanced at his phone, he saw another notification about Tae Joon.
"A-Class Harmonics Tae Joon Spotted Celebrating Victory at Pyre Valley."
The article showed a picture of Tae Joon laughing with his team, drinks in hand. Jin's jaw tightened.
"Of course," he muttered. "They get to party while people like me scrape by."
His bitterness was interrupted by another system notification.
[Daily Tasks Available]
- Jog 6 kilometers: 0/6
- Perform 300 sit-ups: 0/300
- Drink 2 liters of water: 0/2
- Study combat basics: 0/1 hour
"Wait, study combat basics?" Jin blinked at the screen, confused.
He pressed on the task for more details, and another notification popped up.
[Task Information: Study basic combat techniques through books, videos, or personal practice. Understanding the fundamentals will increase your proficiency and prepare you for future trials.]
Jin frowned, his mind racing. "Where am I supposed to find anything about combat techniques?"
Later that day, Jin left his apartment with his hoodie pulled low over his face. The streets were crowded, and he moved carefully, avoiding eye contact with anyone. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone might recognize him.
As he walked, his thoughts were interrupted by the smell of roasted chestnuts. He glanced toward the source and saw an old man sitting behind a cart, humming a tune as he served a young customer.
Jin's stomach growled.
He approached the cart hesitantly, digging into his pocket for some loose change. The old man looked up and smiled.
"Hungry, son?"
"Yeah," Jin said, handing over a few coins.
The man handed him a small bag of chestnuts, still warm from the fire. "You look like you've been through a lot," the man said kindly.
Jin forced a smile. "Something like that."
As he turned to leave, the old man called after him. "Take care of yourself, son. The world's tough, but you've got a strong look in your eyes."
Jin paused, surprised by the comment. He nodded and walked away, the warmth of the chestnuts and the old man's words lingering with him.
Back in his apartment, Jin stared at the system notification about studying combat basics. He sighed and pulled out his phone, searching for anything that might help.
After an hour of watching blurry videos about sword stances and footwork, Jin stood in the center of his room, trying to mimic the moves.
"Left foot forward, right hand steady," he muttered, gripping an imaginary sword.
His movements were awkward and clumsy, but he kept at it, determined to improve.
The next few days followed a similar pattern. Jin completed his daily tasks, pushing his body to its limits, and studied combat basics every chance he got. His progress was slow, but it was progress nonetheless.
The soreness in his muscles began to fade, replaced by a newfound strength. He still wasn't strong enough to take on someone like Tae Joon, but for the first time in his life, Jin felt like he was moving forward.
Evening, after finishing his daily tasks, Jin sat on his couch, flipping through channels on his old TV. He stopped on a news segment about Harmonics and their recent victories.
The anchorwoman smiled brightly as she spoke. "And in other news, A-Class Harmonic Tae Joon and his team have announced plans to tackle the next major rift in the northern territories. Fans are already calling it their greatest challenge yet."
Jin's fists clenched.
"Tae Joon," he muttered, his voice low.
But then he caught sight of his own reflection in the blank TV screen. He barely recognized the person staring back at him.
"You're not that same guy anymore," he said quietly. "Not completely."
He glanced at the system notification that had been waiting for him all day.
[Ascension Progress: 6%]
It wasn't much, but it was something.
Jin leaned back against the couch, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He wasn't sure where this path would lead, but for the first time in his life, he felt like he had a purpose.