The First Task
The faint hum of the Dominion System echoed in Abhay's mind, steady and unrelenting. He stood in the same dark void—a space that felt like both nowhere and everywhere. Holographic screens flickered around him, displaying strange symbols, graphs, and data he couldn't comprehend.
But one thing stood out—a glowing message:
"Primary Objective: SURVIVE."
Abhay's heart raced. The last thing he remembered was bleeding out on the streets of Varanasi. But here he was, standing, breathing… alive.
"Where am I?" he muttered.
"You are within the System Interface, Host. Your physical body is stabilized, but barely. If you wish to live, you must complete the first task."
The screens shifted, now displaying an image of his own body—weak, malnourished, riddled with scars, and minimal muscle mass.
"Assessment complete. Physical condition: BELOW AVERAGE.
Survival Probability in Hostile Encounters: 14%.
Abhay's jaw tightened. He hated feeling weak. His entire life had been about fighting against that weakness, even if it meant getting beaten down again and again. But now… now he had something more.
"Tell me what to do."
"First Task: Enhance Physical Attributes.
Objective: Improve Strength, Stamina, and Reflexes.
Task Duration: 7 Days.
Failure Consequence: System Support Termination.**
Abhay's eyes narrowed.
"If I fail, I die, don't I?"
"Affirmative."
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Good. I work best under pressure."
—---
[Day 1 - Reality]
Abhay awoke with a gasp, his body jolting upright. He was lying in a rundown apartment he barely remembered renting. The bullet wound? Gone. Only dried blood remained on his torn shirt. His muscles ached like he'd been hit by a truck, but he was alive.
His reflection in the cracked mirror showed the same old Abhay—but there was something different in his eyes. Determination mixed with something darker.
"Task Initiated."
A small, translucent screen appeared before him, visible only to his eyes.
[Current Stats]
Strength: 5/100
Stamina: 4/100
Reflexes: 6/100
Intelligence: 8/100
Charisma: 7/100
Pathetic.
The System provided the first training module: a brutal regime designed to push him past human limits
100 push-ups
100 squats
100 sit-ups
10 km run
Combat simulation exercisesSimple? Yes. Easy? Hell no.
Abhay started with push-ups. By the time he hit 30, his arms trembled. By 50, sweat poured down his face like rain. By 70, his muscles screamed in agony. But he didn't stop.
"Pain is temporary," he growled, teeth gritted. "Weakness is forever.
When he finally collapsed, gasping for breath, the System chimed in:
"Progress: 5% Improvement. Minor increase in Strength and Stamina."
It wasn't much. But it was something.
—---
[Day 4]
Abhay's knuckles were raw, blood seeping from cracked skin as he punched a makeshift sandbag tied with ropes in his dingy room. His body felt like it was breaking, but his mind? Sharper than ever.
Every punch, every push-up, every run—it all added up. The System tracked his progress with ruthless precision.
"Strength: 12/100
Stamina: 15/100
Reflexes: 10/100"
But improvement wasn't enough.
On the fourth night, the System initiated an unexpected event.
"Random Encounter Triggered: Hostile Threat Detected."
Before Abhay could react, three masked men kicked down his door. Kashi Tigers. They'd found him.
No time to think.
His body moved on instinct—faster, sharper than before. He dodged the first knife swipe, grabbing the attacker's wrist and slamming his knee into the man's gut with brutal force.
CRACK!
The man collapsed, coughing blood.
The second thug charged with a crowbar. Abhay ducked, twisted, and landed a vicious elbow to the side of the man's jaw. Another down.
The third pulled a gun.
Abhay's heart raced. In that split second, time seemed to slow.
"Adrenaline Boost Activated."
He lunged, knocking the gun aside just as it fired. The bullet grazed his arm, but he didn't feel it. All he felt was the surge of survival instinct mixed with newfound strength.
A punch to the throat. A knee to the face.
Silence.
Abhay stood amidst the unconscious bodies, blood dripping from his knuckles.
He was alive. Not because of luck.
Because he was stronger.
"Progress Update: Task Completion - 75%. Combat Efficiency Improved."
Abhay wiped the blood from his face, breathing heavily.
"Is that all you've got?" he whispered to no one.
The System responded.
"No, Host. This is just the beginning."
—End of Chapter 2—