The next ten days passed in a blur of sweat, muscle pain, and glowing blue notifications.
Every morning, Edward woke before sunrise. The once-quiet park near his apartment had become his training ground. At first, he could barely complete fifty push-ups without collapsing, but the system didn't let him off easy.
[Mission Progress: 53/100 Push-ups completed.][Form degrading. Adjust posture for optimal result.]
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," he'd mutter between breaths, arms trembling.
By the third day, his body had already started to change. His stamina was higher, his breathing steadier. Every muscle screamed, yet every cell buzzed with energy. He could almost feel his strength increasing.
On the fifth day, when his legs were about to give up halfway through the 10 km run, the familiar chime echoed again.
[Ding!][Endurance +1][Current END: 4]
Edward nearly tripped over himself in surprise. "Finally! Took you long enough."
From that moment on, training became less torture and more obsession. The pain dulled into rhythm. Push-ups, squats, runs — repeat. Each rep, each drop of sweat, was proof of progress.
By the eighth day, he no longer needed the system to track his form; his body just knew. His movements were sharper, cleaner — efficient.
[Agility +1][Strength +1]
Even Marcus had noticed the change when he dropped by one morning."Bro, what happened to you? You look like you've been living at the gym!"
Edward only grinned. "Just working on my project."
Marcus laughed it off, not realizing how close to the truth that statement actually was.
On the tenth day, as the sun began to rise, Edward finished his final 10 km run. His lungs burned, sweat dripped from his chin, and his legs felt like jelly — but the moment he crossed the park's last bench line, the system chimed louder than ever before.
[Mission Completed!]
Rewards Granted:1× Mystery PackBonus: Physical Stats Improved
Updated Status:• Strength (STR): 6• Agility (AGI): 5• Endurance (END): 4• Intelligence (INT): 5• Charisma (CHA): 3• Luck (LUK): 4
Edward dropped to the grass, panting but grinning from ear to ear. "Damn… I actually did it."
A bright, crystalline light formed before him — the Mystery Pack.
"Alright, Sugar. Let's see what I worked ten days for. Open the pack."
A radiant golden cube appeared before him, spinning slowly, its surface engraved with glowing runes.
Reward Unlocked:• $500,000 Credited• Luxury Villa — Skyview Estate, Sector 7, Crescent Hill• Defender 110 OCTA (Black Edition)
Edward stared at the holographic text, completely silent.
"…You're kidding me."
He blinked once. Twice. Then burst into laughter — half disbelief, half pure exhilaration.
"Sugar… you actually gave me a villa? In Crescent Hill? That place costs more than entire neighborhoods!"
[Affirmative. Master deserves comfort after efficient completion rate: 92.6%.]
Edward rubbed his temples, still processing. "A Defender too… I went from cooking eggs to owning real estate. What's next, Sugar, a private jet?"
[Available in future reward tiers.]
"Of course," he muttered, shaking his head.
After a moment, the grin returned to his face — wide, sharp, full of quiet confidence."Well, guess I don't have to worry about rent anymore."
Just then, his phone buzzed.A notification banner slid across the screen:
[Bank Alert: $500,000 has been credited to your account.]
Edward's laughter echoed across the empty park. "Oh, it's real."
He stood up, stretching his newly toned arms as the sunrise painted his silhouette in gold.The world suddenly felt… different. Bigger. Full of possibilities.