Ethan's legs were on fire. Every squat felt like his muscles were being torn apart, but he clenched his teeth and kept going. His body screamed at him to stop, but his mind refused to give in.
"One more… just one more..."
His knees shook as he forced himself down one last time. The second he pushed back up, his legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the cold floor, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
BANG!
The door swung open.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Ethan barely had the strength to lift his head, but he recognized the voice instantly—Samantha, the nurse. She was standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock, staring at him lying there, drenched in sweat.
She rushed over, kneeling beside him. "Are you insane? You're supposed to be resting!"
Ethan let out a weak chuckle. "Well… technically, I'm lying down now."
Samantha glared at him. "Unbelievable," she muttered, before grabbing his arm and pulling him up. "Come on, sit down before you pass out completely."
She half-dragged him onto a chair, then grabbed the tray of food she had brought in earlier and shoved it toward him.
"Eat," she ordered.
Ethan blinked at her, still catching his breath. "Geez, no 'thank God you're still alive'? Just straight to nagging?"
Samantha crossed her arms. "If you die from stupidity, I'm not wasting my energy feeling sorry for you."
Ethan smirked. "Ouch, my heart."
She rolled her eyes. "Just eat, dumbass."
Still grinning, Ethan picked up the spoon and started eating. Despite how drained he felt, the food tasted amazing. Or maybe he was just starving.
Samantha watched him, arms still crossed, before finally sighing. "You know… it's weird how fast you're healing."
Ethan paused mid-bite. "Huh?"
She leaned against the table. "You were in bad shape when they brought you in, but now you're already walking around and—" she gestured toward the sweat-soaked floor "—doing god-knows-what in here. It's not normal."
Ethan forced a laugh. "Guess I'm just built different."
Samantha squinted at him. "Right. That's totally an explanation."
Ethan quickly shoved another spoonful of food in his mouth, avoiding her stare.
She sighed again. "Look, just… don't overdo it, okay?"
Ethan gave her a thumbs-up. "Sure, sure."
Samantha didn't look convinced, but she grabbed the tray once he was finished and stood up. "Get some actual rest this time."
Ethan saluted lazily. "Aye, aye, Nurse Commander."
Samantha rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the small smirk on her lips. "Idiot."
She walked out, closing the door behind her.
The second she left, Ethan checked his quest log.
✔ Push-ups – Done
✔ Sit-ups – Done
✔ Squats – Done
⬜ 10 KM Run – Not Completed
He leaned back with a sigh. "Just one more left. But if I go now, she's definitely gonna kill me."
He decided to rest for a few hours before attempting it.
The Escape Plan
A few hours later, Ethan sat up, stretching his arms. His body still felt sore, but he could move.
"Alright, time to finish this."
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and carefully stood up. His muscles protested, but he ignored them. He walked toward the door, opening it quietly so he wouldn't get caught.
"Now, how the hell do I get outside?"
He had never actually explored the hospital, so he had no idea where to go. Just as he turned a corner, he spotted Samantha walking down the hallway.
"Shit."
Before she could see him, he casually walked up to her.
"Hey," he greeted.
She narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing?"
"Uh…" Ethan scratched his head. "Just wanted some fresh air?"
Samantha stared at him like she knew he was up to something.
"...Fine," she sighed. "Come on, I'll take you to the courtyard. But if you try anything dumb, I'm dragging you back myself."
Ethan grinned. "Wouldn't expect anything less from you, Nurse Commander."
She rolled her eyes but led the way.
The 10 KM Run
The courtyard was massive, with a paved walkway circling a small park. Other patients sat on benches, chatting or just enjoying the cool evening air.
Ethan took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's do this."
He started running, keeping a steady pace.
1 KM…
2 KM…
3 KM…
His muscles ached, but he kept pushing forward.
After a few more laps, he stopped to catch his breath.
"You've gotta be kidding me," a familiar voice said behind him.
Ethan turned to see Samantha, holding a bottle of water and looking half-annoyed, half-impressed.
She handed him the bottle. "Are you trying to make my job harder?"
Ethan grinned and took it. "Hey, at least I'm staying active."
Samantha sighed. "You're impossible."
Ethan took a few sips, then wiped the sweat off his forehead. "If it makes you feel better, I only have a few kilometers left."
Samantha shook her head. "You know what? Fine. Kill yourself running, see if I care."
Ethan chuckled. "Noted."
After resting for a few more minutes, he started running again.
5 KM…
6 KM…
7 KM…
The sun began to set, casting an orange glow over the hospital grounds.
By the time he hit 10 KM, his legs felt like jelly. He stumbled over to a bench and collapsed onto it, breathing hard.
"Finally..."
Just as he was about to close his eyes, the sound of wheels rolling caught his attention.
He cracked an eye open and saw Samantha pushing a wheelchair toward him.
"...Seriously?" Ethan groaned.
"Seriously," Samantha said, stopping beside him. "There's no way you're walking back after that."
Ethan sighed but didn't argue. He was too exhausted to resist.
Back in His Room
Once he was back in bed, Ethan checked his quest log.
✔ 10 KM Run – Done
A new notification popped up.
[Quest Completed! Claim Your Reward?]
Ethan pressed yes, and—
[Rewards Received: Recovery Potion & 3 Special Items]
His eyes widened slightly at the unexpected extra rewards, but he decided to check them tomorrow.
Right now, all he wanted was sleep.
As his eyes drifted shut, a small smirk formed on his lips.
"Tomorrow… I get even stronger."
---
P @t r e o n.com/DarkingKing099
For 20+ Advance Chapters
---
20 powerstones for extra chapter