I set my alarm for 4:50 a.m.
When it went off, I woke instantly.
No grogginess no heaviness behind my eyes.
More surprisingly no pain
I lay there for a moment, staring at the cracked ceiling of our small house flexing my fingers then my arms.
Yesterday I'd pushed my body harder than it ever had a right to be pushed.
And yet… nothing.
'Have I hit my head making me feel no pain?' I thought continuing to move my body around
No soreness.
It felt like my body had been reset overnight.
"…So it wasn't just the potion," I muttered
If this were one of those novels I used to read I'd call it a game body. Infinite stamina with instant recovery cheat-level nonsense that breaks the power scaling of any good story.
But there was no skill with that name and I have absolutely no plans to test it in any way
I got out of bed quickly changing into my worn gym clothes and quietly stepped into the kitchen.
The house was still dim as morning light hadn't fully crept in yet but unsurprisingly, Aoi was already awake.
She sat at the table with a mug of warm milk cupped in both hands, cardigan hanging loosely off her shoulders.
When she saw me her eyes lit up a little making me smile.
"You're up early again," she said
"Mm"
She studied my face for a second longer than usual then smiled.
"You look… better"
That wasn't something she said lightly or any for that matter
I glanced away pretending to focus on grabbing a banana from the counter
"Probably just lighting"
She didn't argue
I finally decided to break our usualy quiet atmosphere and asked
"So is there anything else you don't get in school?"
She tilted her head up for a bit seeming to think before nodding
"I've still got a few things I don't get but I'll wait till you finish your running first"
I nodded and stopped speaking as the silence now felt comfortable rather than awkward
After we finished eating I cleaned up and slipped on my shoes.
"I'm going for a walk," I said.
"Be careful," Aoi replied then paused "Don't push yourself too hard"
I looked back at her
"I won't"
'As long as i get the recovery potion I'll live' I thought to myself
She nodded and went back to reading her book.
The early morning streets were almost empty
Vending machines hummed softly. A lone train rumbled in the distance. The air still carried a trace of yesterday's heat
I started walking
Today's goal was simple
Five kilometers within one hour
Yesterday I'd barely managed three but my Constitution had gone up since then. The system had reinforced my body in small but noticeable ways
Plus, I've got the recovery potion and possibly the system recovering me overnight
Ten minutes in, my breathing was steady.
Fifteen minutes in
[Walking Lv 2]
'So I walk better now?' I laughed thinking of the absurdity of it
Thirty minutes in
[Walking Lv 3]
My legs burned but the burn was… nice
At forty-seven minutes
[Walking Lv 4]
At fifty six
[+1 CON]
I laughed quietly under my breath.
"The system loves me it se-"
"Let's not jinx it" I continued walking
When I finally hit the five-kilometer mark the clock read just over an hour
I collapsed onto the grass beside the path staring up at the pale sky as my chest rose and fell.
Exhausted But satisfied.
[Aerobic Exercise Buff Updated]
[Aerobic Exercise Lv 2]
Effect:Increases metabolism by 2% for 24 hours
After a short rest I made my way home showered quickly, and checked the scale.
147.7 kg.
'damn, I'm very sure this isn't healthy'
But I was happy
Not a miracle but real progress
I caught my reflection in the mirror.
Still overweight still ugly but… something was different
Posture was straighter and eyes clearer.
'I'm not completely hopeless now'I smiled to myself
I couldn't practice guitar yet the walls were thin, and Aoi needed her rest.
So I booted up the old laptop instead.
The fan rattled like it always did Keys worn smooth from years of use
This machine was how Ren had kept us alive
Webnovel chapters
Small programming gigs
Not glamorous
But reliable
I logged into my webnovel account first
Overnight
+12 bookmarks+3 comments
'Not bad'
One comment caught my eye.
"Your update speed is crazy Don't burn out man"
I smiled faintly
I won't
so i continued checking
"Update already??""This chapter felt different.""The pacing is way better than usual.""Did the author change?"
I decided to ignore them and check my messages.
A client had replied to a listing I'd posted weeks ago on a simple Python automation.
Nothing complex but paid
I negotiated calmly, set clear terms and sent over a sample
[Negotiation Lv 5]
'Didn't think this would come in this handy'
By the time Aoi woke up fully, I'd already finished half the script.
"Are you working already?" she asked peeking into my room.
"Just a little."
She walked in and comfortably sat herself on the edge of the bed watching me quetly
"…You've changed," she said softly.
I paused. "In a bad way?"
She shook her head immediately.
"No you seem… lighter."
That word again
I closed the laptop and ruffled her hair gently
"Good, I'll take it as a good thing"
School passed much like yesterday
Whispers followed me through the halls
Looks lingered longer than before
'The moment you change everyone stares'
I ignored them
At lunch I sat alone humming softly as I ate.
[Singing Lv 8]
Someone from yesterday's group glanced my way, then looked away first making me disappointed
'If I had known he wasn't gonna pick any fights with me from now on I would have beaten him yesterday' I sighed to myself on the missed chance
After school, I headed straight home
Aoi had already started on her homework so as promised I helped her where she got stuck and anything she didn't understand.
[Teaching Lv 4]
[Teaching Lv 5]
She caught on faster than before.
So did I
Later, with the door closed I practiced guitar and singing in short focused bursts.
[Guitar Lv 16 → 17][Singing Lv 9 → 10]
I stopped before fatigue could set in
Now Workout time.
100 Pushups
100 Sit-ups
100 Squats
'still feels like shit'
[Workout Condition Met]
[Recovery Potion Acquired]
The system wasn't subtle about rewarding effort
By the time night settled in I checked my accounts again.
The programming client paid meaning i've got some more money at hand
Another reader tipped a small amount on my novel making me give him a silent thanks,after all people like these who keep this community running
Though they weren't much but atleast now I can breathe easier
Aoi noticed the guitar by the wall as she passed my room
"…You're really serious about this, huh?" she asked
I nodded
"Yeah"
She smiled and nodded approvingly
"Then I'll support you"
That alone was worth more than any pain
As I lay in bed, exhaustion finally crept in not my body but in my mind which still hasn't caught up to the change after all the human brain is the last thing that likes change
The system interface flickered softly
Skills rising
Stats stabilizing
Momentum building
Tomorrow, I'd push Guitar to Lv 20.
Singing wouldn't be far behind
And when both hit the threshold
I'd upload
And before I knew my eyes closed themself as my mind was finally overloaded from the rapid changes that I've done to myself