James stood still for a long moment.
The digital screen floating in front of his eyes didn't fade away. It hovered silently, the blue light reflecting off his face. This wasn't a hallucination. It felt… real. Realer than anything he'd ever experienced.
"Growth System…" he muttered under his breath, testing the words on his tongue.
It sounded like something out of a video game or a fantasy novel. But he wasn't in some virtual world. He was in his cheap, cramped room in San Pedro. The fan above him squeaked with every turn, the same as always. His mattress creaked, the floor was dusty, and the scent of instant noodles from last night still lingered.
But everything had changed.
James sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing his face with both hands. His heart was still pounding, though he didn't know if it was from excitement or fear—or maybe a twisted blend of both.
His body still ached from that day. The memory of Clint's laughter echoed in his mind. The sharp sting on the back of his head where it hit the concrete. The disgust in their eyes. The weight of helplessness. He had felt worthless, like garbage.
And now?
Now a floating screen offered him power. Growth. A new start.
"Push-ups, sit-ups, sprints…" he whispered, staring at the daily quest. It seemed too simple. Too ordinary. Could simple exercises really change him?
But then again—nothing about this system was ordinary.
James stood up and walked to the mirror that hung loosely on his wall. It was cracked on the edge, but he could still see himself clearly.
He didn't like what he saw.
A chubby face. Puffy eyes from years of crying himself to sleep. A body he had always hated. No muscle. No strength. No presence. He looked like someone people could walk past and forget in seconds.
James clenched his fists.
Not anymore.
He took a deep breath and stepped away from the mirror. Then, dropping to the floor, he positioned himself for his first push-up.
"One…"
It was hard.
His arms shook almost immediately. His chest barely touched the ground. His breathing was uneven. But he forced himself to push through it.
"Two…"
He gritted his teeth. His mind screamed to stop, but his anger burned hotter.
"Three… four… five…"
Each push-up was a reminder. A memory. A scar.
He remembered the time they stuffed his locker with rotten food.
The time they stole his clothes and made him walk home in his boxers.
The whispers. The mocking laughs.
The way his teachers did nothing.
"Six… seven… eight…"
His arms were on fire. Sweat dripped from his forehead and onto the floor. He could barely move.
"Nine…"
And then—he collapsed.
James lay on the floor, panting. His arms were numb, his body aching, but his heart was beating faster than ever before. Not out of fear. Not out of humiliation.
Out of purpose.
A soft chime rang in his head.
[Progress: Push-ups – 9/50]
"Still a long way to go," he muttered.
He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling.
He had to pace himself. If this system really rewarded consistency, then he couldn't burn out on day one. But even now, he felt something shift inside him. Not just physically—but mentally.
For the first time in years, he felt like he had something.
[Flashback: Age 15]
The classroom was noisy that day. Laughter filled the air, but James sat quietly in the corner seat, eyes on his notebook, pretending to write. He didn't like attracting attention. Attention meant pain.
A shadow loomed over him.
Clint.
Again.
Without warning, Clint snatched the notebook from James' hands and ripped it in half.
"Aww, was the little piglet writing a love letter?" he taunted.
The others laughed. James just stared at the torn pages, heart sinking.
He didn't say a word. He couldn't. His voice had been stolen long ago.
[Present]
James sat up, shaking the memory out of his head. It wasn't just physical strength he needed. He needed to reclaim his identity. His voice. His dignity.
And if that meant doing fifty push-ups every day, then so be it.
He pulled up the system interface again with a thought.
[Status]
Name: James Gun
Strength: 0.5
Agility: 0.5
Charisma: 0.5
Wisdom: 2
Luck: 5
No changes yet.
He swiped to the next tab.
[Inventory] – Empty
[Quests] – Dream Physique (Active)
[Skills] – None
James furrowed his brow. "So I can learn skills too?"
He wondered what kind of abilities this system could give him. Could he learn martial arts instantly? Or gain techniques that made him unstoppable?
Maybe… someday.
But for now, he had to earn it. One painful rep at a time