They say the first step is always the hardest.
I always thought that was just a nice line people told themselves—something motivational speakers said on TV to sell books. But now… now I understood what they meant.
It wasn't just a step forward. It was a step out of the pit. The pit of loss. Of betrayal. Of worthlessness. And it took everything in me to move.
As I walked away from the river, away from everything that broke me, the blue screen followed.
Not on my phone.
Not in my eyes.
It was just… there. Floating. Silent. Waiting.
Like a ghost only I could see.
[Quest Complete: First Step Forward]
[Reward Granted: +1 to All Stats | System Core Unlocked]
A warm sensation spread through my chest.
It wasn't dramatic. I didn't glow or scream or explode with power.
It was subtle. Like taking a deep breath after being underwater for too long. Like standing straight for the first time in years.
Then—
[Displaying Status Screen…]
A new screen appeared before me. Clean. Minimalistic. Like something straight out of a game.
[Ryou – Age: 23]Level: 1Title: Broken SoulHealth (HP): 100/100Stamina (SP): 100/100Mana (MP): 10/10Stats:• Strength: 2 → 3• Agility: 3 → 4• Endurance: 2 → 3• Intelligence: 4 → 5• Perception: 3 → 4• Charisma: 1 → 2• Luck: 1 → 2System Authority: LockedSkill Slots: 0/3Current Skills: NoneInventory: EmptyCurrency: 0 Credits
"...Holy sh*t."
It was real.
It wasn't just my imagination.
This was a system. Like a game. Like the kind of thing kids dreamed about.But it wasn't a dream. It wasn't a fantasy.
It was mine.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt something I hadn't in years.
Hope.
I wandered for hours that night. The streets were quieter now. People were gone. Just neon lights and alley shadows for company. But I didn't feel alone anymore.
Because it was with me.
Not a friend.Not a lover.Not a person.
But it spoke.
[Host's vitals stabilizing.]
[Mental stress remains high. System recommends low-impact training to release negative tension.]
"Training?" I murmured.
A panel opened on its own.
[New Quest: Strength in Solitude]**Objective: Complete 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and run 1 kilometer]Time Limit: NoneReward: +1 Strength, +1 Endurance, Unlock Skill Tree Preview]
I stared at it, then let out a bitter laugh.
"Figures. Even a magical system wants me to work out."
But I accepted the quest.
What else was I going to do? Go home and cry?
No. That place wasn't home anymore.That place smelled like lies now.
So I walked to the nearest public park—an empty space with a cracked jogging path and an old playground—and started.
Push-up #1.
My arms shook.
It was embarrassing how weak I was.
#2. #3… #15.
Sweat dripped down my forehead.
Every rep burned.Every sit-up made my back ache.Every step of that run felt like I was dragging weights behind me.
But I did it.
Not because I was strong.
But because I had nothing else.
And if this system—this thing—was offering me a chance?
Then I was going to take it.
[Quest Complete: Strength in Solitude]
[Rewards Granted: +1 Strength | +1 Endurance | Skill Tree Preview Unlocked]
[Host's Performance: Satisfactory.]
[Opening Basic Skill Tree…]
Another screen expanded. This one felt different—almost alive, branching out like veins of light across the sky.
[Basic Skill Tree – Available Paths:]
Combat Tree: Locked (Requirement: Weapon Acquired)Support Tree: Locked (Requirement: First Aid or Survival Experience)Mental Tree: Partially Unlocked• Focus (Lv. 1): Increases clarity under stress. Improves stamina management. [1 SP to Learn]• Mental Fortitude (Lv. 1): Resist panic, fear, and depression. Boosts quest efficiency. [1 SP to Learn]
[Available Skill Points: 1]
I didn't even hesitate.
[Skill Learned: Mental Fortitude Lv. 1]
A cool sensation washed over my head. Like dipping my mind in cold water.
The pain, the anxiety, the spinning thoughts—it didn't vanish.
But they softened.
Like I could breathe again.
"...This is insane," I whispered. "But it's real."
It's real.
I spent the rest of the night in that park.
Alone, but not broken.
I thought of Yuki.Of the guy she chose.Of the people who stepped on me.Of the classmates who laughed when I dropped out.Of the customers who looked at me like dirt.Of all the nights I cried alone and no one noticed.
And I clenched my fists.
"This world gave me nothing."
"But I'll make something of it."
"Even if I have to tear it apart piece by piece."
By the time morning came, my limbs were aching. My stomach was empty. I had no job now—quitting silently was easier than facing the humiliation of going back.
But I had something better than a job.
I had a System.
And I had a goal.
[Daily Quest: Rise and Grind]
[Objective: Wake up before 6:00 AM. Train. Eat. Meditate. Repeat for 7 Days.]Reward: +2 to Random Stats | New Passive Skill: "Discipline"
I smiled.
For the first time in years, I smiled genuinely.
Because I could feel it in my bones.
This was the beginning.
The first chapter of my real life.
And I was done being nothing.
End of Chapter 2