In the morning, Jason arrived at the gym a little before ten to begin his first day of training and prepare his body for the pleasurable journey ahead. To be honest, that was precisely what he intended to do and nothing more.
The front door stood open, and the interior was quiet except for the faint sounds of movement coming from deeper inside. He walked in, holding his bag by the strap. Inside were two bottles of water and a few snacks. As he entered, he took a slow look around.
Near the middle, five busty and older women were working out, each in her own rhythm, with about two of them on treadmills. Jason glanced lustfully at their asses, which bulged through their tight workout clothes, but soon looked away lest he be eaten by the sight.
They all looked up almost at the same time when Jason entered. For a moment, they froze, watching him as though they were seeing something unusual.
One of them, a tall woman with brown hair tied into a short ponytail, blinked and nudged the woman beside her.
"...A male in town?"
"Yeah, I see that too. First one, though. I don't remember the last time I met one, except when I travel outside the city," the second replied with a faint smile.
A brief exchange passed between them before both women smiled, curiosity flickering in their eyes about what a man was doing there. Men had visited their town before, long ago, but most of them had left, unable to adjust to a world ruled almost entirely by women.
Jason could tell they were unaware of his presence in town despite his growing reputation. He also knew that not everyone would recognize him, even if he was famous for being the only native man and something of a rarity. He gave a small nod in acknowledgment and walked toward the counter.
Clara was behind the counter, sorting through a folder. She lifted her head when she heard his steps and smiled, greeting him in her soft voice.
"You're early. Good morning. I actually wasn't expecting you until the afternoon."
"Oh, hi. Good morning. Hm, I prefer starting early," Jason said casually with a light chuckle as he set his bag down. "I get things done before the day crowds up."
"That's good," she replied, glancing at her watch. "It's still a bit quiet around this time. You'll have plenty of space to move around."
'Oh? Even with the people here now? Wow,' Jason thought silently, a little astonished.
He gave a short nod, and she gestured toward the training area.
"Since this is your first day, I'll take you through a few basics and see what you can handle. You mentioned you don't have any injuries or limitations, right?"
"Yes, I have none," he replied with a firm tone.
"Alright, then we'll start light and see how your body adjusts."
She walked ahead, and Jason followed closely behind. It was his first time in a gym, so many things still felt unfamiliar to him. The women had returned to their routines, though a few continued to steal glances at him as he passed.
Clara stopped near the dumbbell rack.
"We'll start with something simple to test your control. Try a warm-up with these."
She pointed toward a set of moderate weights.
Jason picked them up, testing their balance before beginning a steady curl with smooth, even movements. Clara observed silently, arms crossed over her chest. She had expected him to struggle a bit at first, but his form was surprisingly solid for a beginner. He didn't seem to rush, nor did he show any visible strain.
"You've done this before?" she asked curiously.
"Once or twice," he responded nonchalantly. "But not recently."
Of course, that had been in his past life when he saw someone discard one and decided to play with it. Back then, it had felt quite heavy for him, but now it seemed remarkably light for some reason.
She studied him a little more closely, then commented with a smile:
"Your control is good, most people tense up during their first set. Keep going, though."
Jason complied without replying, alternating arms in a steady rhythm. When he finished after several minutes, she gestured toward the treadmill area as the next step.
"Let's test your endurance. Run for fifteen minutes at a moderate pace. I'll set the controls."
He stepped onto the machine as Clara adjusted the settings. The belt began to move, and he matched its pace with steady, controlled motion.
Minutes passed, yet his rhythm did not falter.
Clara watched, expecting him to slow down, but he remained consistent. A few of the women nearby glanced his way between sets, exchanging quiet looks before returning to their workouts. His focus never wavered, as if the effort came naturally.
Fifteen minutes slipped by quickly.
Clara checked the timer, then looked at him again. He still hadn't broken rhythm.
"Alright, that's enough. Stop there."
He stepped off and wiped his forehead with a towel from his bag. His breathing was steady.
With a quiet, assessing gaze fixed on him, Clara remarked,
"You've got impressive stamina, I must say."
"I do walk a lot," he replied simply, and that wasn't a lie. Throughout his life, since he could rarely afford to take buses, he had grown accustomed to walking and even come to enjoy it.
"Well, looks like more than just walking," she said, checking a few notes on her clipboard. "We'll move to core exercises next. I'll guide you through the sets."
After that, they walked over to the mats. The five women were still training but had slowed a bit, occasionally glancing their way. One of them, the same brown-haired woman, smiled when Jason passed, clearly charmed by his appearance. He gave a polite nod in return but didn't linger or invite further conversation.
Clara demonstrated the first routine, showing how to maintain balance and proper posture, and Jason followed her movements with care. His precision caught her attention again as she noticed that he didn't flinch or lose stability, even when she increased the difficulty slightly.
"You pick up quickly," she said in a calm tone. "You're either naturally coordinated or have trained before."
"Honestly, I don't really know," he replied, keeping his focus on the motion.
Clara chuckled lightly in response.
They continued through several sets, each one more challenging than the last. Clara timed him carefully, quietly observing his consistency. When they reached the final set, she offered him a smile.
"That's solid, Jason. I believe you'll adapt to the schedule here with ease."
Jason sat up, resting his hands on his knees.
"How long should I keep this pace before increasing intensity?"
She checked her clipboard again with a calm expression.
"If you maintain this level of performance, you could raise the intensity by the end of the week. I'll prepare a plan for you after today's assessment as a bonus for the effort I've seen."
He smiled.
"Thank you. That works."
She smirked faintly.
"Good. I'll also assign you a locker and access card after this."
"Alright."
Clara paused to jot down a few notes on her clipboard. The other members were wrapping up their routines, and the faint clinking of weights echoed through the room. When she finished, she turned back to him.
"By the way, I realized I never properly introduced myself yesterday. My name's Clara. I'm the head trainer here."
Jason gave a short, acknowledging look.
"Nice. You run a well-organized place."
Actually, he had already seen her name written in a book yesterday when he first came in, so the introduction wasn't really necessary but it was courteous to respond anyway. Besides, she had no idea he already knew her name.
The gym instructor grinned and replied:
"Thanks. It's been that way for a while. We take pride in it."
He glanced around briefly, keeping silent.
Clara smiled, then gestured toward another set of machines near the corner.
"We'll finish with those. They're good for endurance and flexibility."
Jason followed her, ready for the next set.
Clara adjusted the seat of the next machine and motioned for Jason to sit. He settled in and placed his hands where she indicated. She explained the motion once, then stepped aside to observe. Jason began the repetitions, steady and deliberate. Clara watched quietly, counting under her breath as he completed the first set without slowing.
"Good," she said. "Rest for thirty seconds, then go again. I'll track your progress."
Jason gave a short nod and rolled his shoulders slightly before starting again. When he reached the end of the second set, she checked the timer and frowned.
"You recover fast. That's unusual."
"I guess I'm built for this," he said plainly.
"Maybe you are," she replied. "But don't get too confident yet. The next one will push you harder."
He stood as she walked toward another machine.
"Let's see how you handle balance and coordination. Most people start struggling here."
Jason followed her instructions and began the exercise. His movements flowed with precision, each repetition stable and controlled. Clara's brow lifted in mild surprise.
"Wow, you make it look simple."
He met her gaze briefly.
"I just follow the rhythm."
In truth, he knew his strength came from more than practice. His stamina was twenty percent higher than the average human, giving him natural endurance and balance that felt effortless. This was only the beginning; with every level gained, both his body and his wealth would grow stronger.
"That rhythm's ahead of most people," Clara said, noting something on her clipboard. "You could handle advanced sessions if you keep this pace."
Jason wiped his arms with a towel and glanced toward the others. The women were wrapping up their routines and chatting in small groups. One of them waved at him, and he responded with a brief gesture before returning his focus to the machines. Clara observed quietly. She had seen many get distracted in a gym, but Jason's composure remained steady, centered on the training itself.
She turned back to him.
"You've covered the basics for today. Most new members stop around halfway through, but since you're holding up well, I can show you a few endurance drills before we wrap up."
He gave a single approving gesture.
"Lead the way."
They moved to the open mat section. Clara demonstrated each motion briefly, explaining the focus of every drill. Jason followed with sharp precision, maintaining his rhythm and form without pause. His breathing remained steady through each transition, his movements smooth and measured. Clara crossed her arms as she watched, her expression growing more intrigued the longer he went on.
When he finished, she let out a soft whistle.
"You're something, Jason. I've trained hundreds of people, and only a few show this kind of control on the first day."
"I like keeping things efficient," he replied.
"That's an understatement," she said with a faint smile. "If this is you taking it easy, I can't imagine you pushing yourself."
He allowed a small smirk. "We'll find out soon enough."
Clara wrote a few quick notes on her clipboard before lowering it.
"Alright, that's enough for today. You've done more than most do on their first session. Take it easy tomorrow or your muscles will make you regret it."
"I'll manage," Jason said, standing upright and stretching his arms once.
"I don't doubt that," Clara said softly with a note of approval in her voice.
She returned the clipboard to the counter while Jason packed his towel and bottle into his bag.
When she came back, she handed him a sleek plastic card.
"That's your access pass. It also records your attendance. Keep it with you each time."
He accepted it with a faint grin.
"Got it."
Clara leaned her hip against the counter and watched him carefully.
"You made quite an impression today. The others don't see men in here often, and you outperformed most of them without even trying."
"I wasn't trying to impress anyone," he replied plainly.
"I know. That's probably why it worked," she said with mild amusement.
He studied her for a moment and then placed the card in his bag.
"See you tomorrow."
Clara smiled lightly.
"Tomorrow it is. Try not to scare off the rest of my members with that work ethic."
Jason chuckled.
"No promises."
As he walked out, Clara watched him leave with a thoughtful expression before turning back to her desk. She opened the folder again and wrote down his performance details.
After a brief pause, she added another line beneath his name:
Observation: natural control and focus. Potential for advanced level.
She set the clipboard aside and stood quietly for a moment before returning to her work.
Outside, Jason stepped into the sunlight with his bag over his shoulder. His body felt light and strong, and his mind was steady. The morning had gone better than expected, and for the first time in weeks, he felt that something was finally beginning to take shape.
However, his next step was urgent. He needed to book a hotel before the day ended and make sure Angela would meet him there either tonight or tomorrow evening, though tomorrow seemed like the better option. He pulled out his phone and began scrolling through a list of hotels around town, focusing on those a bit farther from home.