Vell decided to leave the ruined structure. As he stepped out from the darker interior of the collapsed shop into the dim light of the predawn streets, a black rectangle materialized in his vision. White text appeared on it.
[Beast Forge system activated]
[User successfully registered]
[Scanning user... done]
[User has not awakened, cannot use Beast Forge.]
[Analyzing for possible solutions.... done]
[Mission: Run 50km before 00:00]
[Reward: Force awakening]
[Failure: Loss of the Beast Forge system]
[Will you accept this mission: YES/NO]
He stopped walking and stared at the message, which remained suspended in his view. He carefully read each line. He then moved to the side of the street and sat on a low, broken wall. He looked at his hands again, then back at the persistent message that awaited his input.
He thought about what he had heard regarding Players and the unusual items sometimes found in Dungeons or Zones.
He considered, "This might be one of those reward systems. This could be an opportunity for a different life." His current existence, moving between towns and relying on discarded food, offered no future except continued hardship and eventual death. The choice presented by the system seemed clear to him.
He focused on the "YES" option on the screen, and it was selected. A countdown timer appeared, indicating he had approximately nine hours to complete the task.
He stood up and performed some basic stretches to loosen his stiff muscles. He then considered his route.
He thought, 'Going north seems like a reasonable direction. The next town is approximately three kilometers that way. The system did not specify a straight line, so I could run back and forth. However, I have spent months inactive. This is a chance to observe how much the world has changed.'
With this decision made, he began to run, heading north. He felt the impact of his feet on the ground and the air against his face, sensations he had not focused on for a considerable time.
After he had covered about three kilometers, he noticed people starting to look at him. He was still within the outskirts of the town he had just been in, and his worn clothes and unkempt appearance likely drew their attention as he ran. He disregarded their stares and maintained his pace, focusing on the mission.
An hour into the run, his legs began to ache significantly due to the prolonged, unaccustomed exertion. He had not engaged in such physical activity for many months. He was aware that there was a possibility the mission and the system were not real, but the potential reward – a chance to alter his life fundamentally – compelled him to continue.
He checked the screen that appeared in his vision when he focused on it.
[Distance: 15 km. Time remaining: 7 hours, 5 minutes.]
When he reached the 26-kilometer mark, sweat was clearly visible on his face, and his breathing had become more labored. He noted that he was past the halfway point and resolved to continue.
He slowed his pace to a brisk walk for a minute to regulate his breathing. He also scanned his surroundings, a habit developed from months of living on the streets, preferring to avoid any individuals who might recognize him from his past or from the negative news reports.
Nearby, a group of teenagers was gathered near a damaged bus stop. One of them noticed Vell, nudged another, and pointed.
One teenager called out, "Hey, old man, what's the hurry?"
Another one added, "Aren't you a bit old to be running like that?"
A third laughed and said, "You should go home and drink some milk, old man."
He ignored their comments and resumed his running pace. He thought, 'They call me old man. I am only 21.' He felt a brief irritation but quickly refocused on his task and increased his speed slightly to leave that area. He glanced at the sky and saw that the sun was beginning to set.
[Distance: 39 km. Time remaining: 5 hours, 12 minutes.]
As he ran down a narrow side street, his pace started to slow involuntarily. The thought of stopping entered his mind, and he briefly recalled the circumstances of his expulsion from his home city.
He paused for several minutes, leaning against a wall. His shirt was thoroughly soaked with sweat, and his mouth was very dry. He took out his last small chocolate bar, which he had intended to last for several days, and ate it.
Its nutritional value was minimal, but it was all he had.
He noted that only eleven kilometers remained. He considered the offered reward again and decided that the current discomfort was a justifiable price for the potential outcome.
He said quietly, "I need to keep moving," then pushed himself off the wall and continued running.
By the time he reached the 45-kilometer mark, his legs felt extremely heavy, and he found it difficult to maintain concentration. The lights of the town began to appear indistinct. He leaned against another wall, breathing rapidly and shallowly.
His vision became unsteady. His stomach contracted sharply; he had not consumed a substantial meal in days, and his body was malnourished. He coughed, and a small quantity of blood came up.
He questioned whether he could physically continue and if his body would last until the mission's completion.
He knew that his body was signaling him to stop. However, he also recognized that this was a unique opportunity. The alternative was returning to a life of begging and scavenging. He could not accept that. He pushed himself away from the wall and forced himself to keep moving.
Not long after, his physical condition deteriorated further. His bare feet were wounded, he could taste blood in his mouth again, and he felt increasingly dizzy. These were clear indications that he should stop. But he continued to run, despite his state, because he was very close to finishing.
[Distance: 49 km. Time remaining: 10 minutes.]
He thought, 'Almost there.'
Suddenly, his legs would no longer support him, and he collapsed onto the surface of a bridge. His vision was severely blurred, and blood now also trickled from his nose.
He thought, 'I will complete this mission, even if it permanently injures me.'
He used his arms to push himself up and forced himself to stand. His nerves sent sharp pains through his limbs, causing him to stagger, but he remained upright. He felt a stinging sensation in his eyes from the effort and pain.
He stumbled repeatedly but continued to move forward until he fell a final time. A faint smile touched his lips.
He thought, 'I did it.'
A message appeared in his vision.
[Congratulations on completing the mission.]
[Reward will be administered when the user awakens.]
[Moving on to stage 2 of activation…..]
Then, he lost consciousness.