Chapter 5: Training Montage
Training Arc: Day One
I woke up feeling much better, as good as I had when I first arrived, I could barely feel any muscle strain or soreness. Now I have a dream…no, a goal—one I hadn't thought about attempting in my years: fix this body. No more excuses. No more dragging my feet. And with M. Soul, I can accomplish this goal, all it will take, is effort.
After a light breakfast from a vendor—a couple of eggs, some smoked meat, and flatbread—I made my way to the open fields behind Trellis. I started simple. Push-ups. Sit-ups. Bodyweight squats. I kept the tempo high, with minimal rest. I was panting before I hit the second round.
My arms were jelly by the third set, my stomach cramping halfway through my core routine. By the time I started jogging, I could feel the fat on my sides bouncing with every step.
I ran until my legs refused to keep pace. Then I walked. Then I ran again. I wanted every inch of my body to scream in protest.
And it did.
Lunch was a grilled meat skewer with rice, bought from a cart near the guild. Not the cleanest diet, but I made sure to get protein and avoid the heavier, fried stuff. Dinner was similar—roast poultry, flatbread, and a cup of bean stew. I kept water on me all day.
When I dropped into bed that night, I couldn't even move to pull the blanket over me.
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Day Two
The expected soreness was nowhere to be felt when I woke up. My limbs felt fine, my back didn't ache, and the swelling in my knees had vanished. It was all thanks to M. Soul.
I doubled down.
Today's circuit included burpees, lunges, mountain climbers, and longer-distance jogging. I added incline sprints—running up the hills near the forest edge until I collapsed, then walking it off and doing it again.
People started noticing. Some stared. A few workers and adventurers gave nods as I passed, maybe thinking I was training for a Guild job. I didn't care—I had tunnel vision.
My appetite grew, too. I hit a local diner for lunch: thick-cut meat, seasoned greens, roasted potatoes. I didn't count calories or macros, but I made sure to eat clean and fill up.
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Day Three
I woke up already moving. My body was adapting faster than I thought possible. The soft layer on my stomach? Thinning. My face in the mirror? A little less round.
I upped the volume today—four full circuits of upper body, lower body, and core. Plank holds, jump squats, explosive push-ups. I even borrowed some old wooden training weights from a retired adventurer who watched me train. The man laughed at my form, but offered some advice— I thanked him and used his advice.
Lunch was lean grilled beef and flatbread. Dinner, chicken and beans. I started craving the protein.
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Day Four
My body was tightening. My thighs—once soft and thick—were becoming solid now. My arms had noticeable shape, and my stamina was noticeably better. I didn't gasp between sets anymore.
I added more weight work. Improvised sandbags. Tree logs. Anything to load resistance. I wasn't just burning fat—I was building strength.
The exhaustion was still real, but every morning, I bounced back with little resistance. M. Soul was a god send, it let me train harder than any man without a falna reasonably should.
And I wasn't wasting it.
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Day Five
I started the morning with a longer run—twice the distance I managed earlier in the week. My breathing was controlled, my pace steady. For the first time, I felt like I was truly running, not just surviving.
My reflection that morning startled me. The slight double chin was gone. My shoulders sat higher, like they were remembering their real shape. My stomach, once noticeably round, now sloped in slightly. Still overweight, but no longer buried under layers of fat and neglect.
Today's focus was upper body. Push-pull circuits using crates, logs, and anything heavy I could find. I worked until my grip failed. Then I trained my legs. Then my core.
Lunch was quick—chicken stew and flatbread from a food stall near the fields. I ate with purpose, not luxury. My cravings were different now. Cleaner. Sharper.
That evening, I noticed a farmer watching me during stretches. "You train like a madman," he said.
I kind of was.
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Day Six
Every muscle in my body was defined by motion now. My thighs, once jiggling with every jog, felt like coiled steel. My arms popped with veins during workouts. My shirt sleeves no longer hung loose—they gripped.
I weighed myself using a merchant's balance scale and a few converted weights. I estimated around 208 pounds. Nearly 20 pounds down in under a week. I knew a chunk was water weight —but I could see the progress.
I spent most of the day doing weighted carries and sled pushes using sacks of grain and crates. Functional strength. My back screamed. My calves burned. But when I woke tomorrow, it'd be fine.
A grilled fish bowl and boiled greens filled me up at lunch. I skipped dinner and drank water until I felt light again.
I ended the day with 50 push-ups under the light of the moon.
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Day Seven
No circuits. No sprints.
Today was about testing.
I ran the same hill I struggled with on Day One. I made it to the top in half the time. I did push-ups until I passed a hundred. I held a plank until I shook with exhaustion—and then kept going.
My form still needed work, but my strength? Real. Earned.
I passed a group of adventurers near the outskirts. One of them, a lean catfolk with a bow on his back, gave me a nod. "Training for the Dungeon?" he asked.
"Eventually," I replied.
He smirked. "You're almost there."
I didn't smile back. I didn't need to. I just turned and kept running.
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Chico Sol, Day Seven:
•Weight: Approx. 205 lbs
•Face: Cheeks leaner, jawline returning
•Arms: Showing a bit of definition, corded with muscle
•Legs: Thick with strength, no longer loose with fat
•Stomach: Smaller, tighter, on its way to flat
•Eyes: Clearer. Sharper. Focused.
These were my observations. One full week of destroying my body, one week of M. Soul repairing my body, building my body up to prepare for my future endeavors. Unfortunately my funds have been depleting a bit too fast for my liking…I guess I'll have to take on a quest soon.
…
Oh…
'Ariel…I haven't seen her in a week. I hope she won't be upset…though for what I do not know.'
'Guess I'll face the music in the morning. But first I hope there is a Gatcha with my name on it.'
Quest Complete!
Lost a significant amount of weight!
Hidden objective achieved: Complete quest within 7 days.
Reward: Silver Ability Advantage Gatcha Ticket + Bonus Random Silver Gatcha Ticket
'Fuck.Yeah.'
"Let's roll Gatcha."
Rolling…
Stone Skin (1.8 Rarity, 0.28% odds)-Common Ability-
Allows you to cover your skin in a stone like texture that enhances your durability and increases your mass.
Or
Conditioning (3.5 Rarity, 0.11% odds)-Rare Ability-
While this ability is in an active spot, your body continuously conditions itself, getting stronger as if working out and recovering at the same time. Allowing you to slowly reach the biological peak of your body over time. Also increases the efficiency of working out.
&
Demon King's Daggers (3 Rarity, 0.48% odds)
-Rare Item-
Solo Levelling - A pair of daggers forged from the corpse of the demon king. These daggers are able to synchronize themselves with the user's strength, getting stronger proportional to their physical strength. these daggers increase the potency of unholy abilities that use it as a focus.
"!!"
"HOLY SHIT!"
My loud exclamation was interrupted by a banging on the wall. I would have felt sheepish, but I just pulled some insane stuff from the Gatcha.
First of all, Conditioning, oh if only I pulled you earlier. My transformation would have been, for a lack of better words, fucking insane.
Not only did I get another solid ability…I got some amazing daggers. The Demon King's Daggers…if I recall correctly, this was one of Sung Jin-Woo's endgame weapons…a pair of weapons that can grow with the user. This has amazing potential, though without a doubt I'll have to be careful. These daggers will surely gather attention, should the Goddess Hephaestus take a single glance of these daggers…
Anyway, the option between Conditioning and Stone Skin is a no-brainer.
'I choose Conditioning.'
You have chosen Conditioning. Confirm choice? Y/N
'Yes.'
Choice confirmed.
Wow…
'So fucking worth it.'
Chapter 5 End