A frail-looking boy, dressed in tattered rags, stepped out from the dark mouth of a mountain mine.
The path before him was narrow, winding through scrubby woods that separated the mine from the distant village of Franster. All around him, the greenery swayed gently under the midday sun.
The boy was Lemonk.
He had spent the last three days inside that mine, grinding through exhaustion, blood, and bone. And now… he had completed the impossible.
Even though his body still looked thin and worn, his eyes were different, clear, sharp, steady. A fire burned behind them.
[Ding!]
Quest Completed: "Let's Be Normal Again"Difficulty: HardRewards: 5 LP, 150 CoinsEvaluation: PERFECT
"Huh?" Lemonk blinked. "Hey, System… why do I still look like a scarecrow? You said I'd return to normal!"
"Relax," the Progress System replied coolly. "Your body will recover, but only after rest. Take a look at your stats first."
"Alright then. Show me."
"Geez, calm down. I am your soul artefact. You don't need to yell.""System Display: ON."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[Progress System Interface]
Name: Lemonk
STATS• HP: 500• STRENGTH: 100• STAMINA: 105• AGILITY: 100• SPIRIT: 500
SKILLS• Walk – 100% (Evolvable: Run)• Hand Movement – 100% (Evolvable)• Cooking – 30% [+]
SHOP• Level: 0 (Next Upgrade: 1 LP)
LP: 5Coins: 150~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lemonk's jaw dropped. "What?! My stats are insane! But… I don't feel any different."
"Of course not. You're still awake. My system can't reforge your body while you're conscious. When you sleep, your body heals, and your talent, Strengthen, amplifies all the progress you've made."
Lemonk stared. "So you're saying all I need now… is a nap?"
"Exactly. Go home. Make a good meal. Sleep well. When you wake up… your real transformation will begin."
Lemonk narrowed his eyes. "Wow… are you actually being nice to me right now?"
"Tch. Must be a bug in the emotional sarcasm module.""Or maybe the sun's rising from the west today."
Lemonk smirked. "Aww, I knew you cared."
"YOU! …Inappropriate language filtered."
They exchanged a few more "beloved" words.
Lemonk stumbled home.
The cottage felt smaller than he remembered, but warmer too. He prepared a humble meal: grilled vegetables and chicken, simple, but filling. The aroma filled the room, and for once… he felt proud.
After eating, he dragged himself to bed.
The second his head hit the pillow, he was out cold.
[System Activation: Body Restoration Mode – Initiated]
A soft, golden glow surrounded Lemonk's body, not bright, but warm, like the sun at dusk. It pulsed gently as the system worked its magic.
First, the cuts and bruises on his skin faded.
Then, the swelling on his limbs receded.
Finally, his muscles began to knit together, tightly, efficiently. His limbs lengthened slightly. His chest broadened. His once-skeletal frame took on definition.
The Strengthen talent went to work.
Every gain he'd earned, the sweat, the struggle, the falls, was being embedded into his very bones.
By morning, the glow had faded.
Lemonk lay peacefully in bed, his breathing slow and steady.
His once-frail body was now lean and toned, with coiled strength under every movement. His height had increased by a few inches, his presence no longer forgettable.
Any boy in Franster would envy this transformation.
But Lemonk wouldn't know any of that… not yet.
He was still asleep.
Dreaming of mountains to climb, and how he'd break them, one by one.