Lenny sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the strange floating interface in front of him. It shimmered faintly, its white-blue glow lighting up the dark room. His eyes were heavy, not from sleep, but from disbelief. The soreness in his chest and arms told him everything he needed to know—it was real. All of it.
The system, the tasks, the push-ups… that weird white room.
"Alright," he muttered, blowing air through his nose. "Twenty more push-ups to go."
The thought alone made him groan. His arms were still aching from the ten he'd barely managed earlier. He hadn't done this kind of thing in years. Not even during gym class. He had always found a way to weasel out of it: faking a stomach ache, pretending he had an injury, or just waiting for the gym teacher to forget he existed.
But now, he had no excuse. He didn't want to risk what would happen if he ignored the task. Besides, the sooner he got it over with, the sooner he could move on with his day.
He dropped down to the floor and positioned his palms flat. His elbows felt like jelly.
"One…"
"Two…"
"Three…"
By the seventh push-up, he was breathing heavily.
"Eight…"
His arms started to tremble again. Sweat formed on his forehead.
"Nine…"
His face was nearly kissing the floor.
"Ten…"
He collapsed flat, chest against the cold floor, panting. His muscles screamed at him.
"That's… halfway," he said between breaths. "Just... ten more."
He rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, the system interface still floating beside him like some silent coach. He wondered if it was enjoying this.
"System," he muttered, "can I take a five-minute break?"
The system does not object.
He snorted. "How kind."
A few minutes later, he turned back over and resumed his position. He wasn't going to let a computer voice bully him.
"One…"
"Two…"
He continued slowly, gritting his teeth.
"Three… four…"
It was painful. He was out of breath. But somehow, by sheer force of will, he pushed himself through it.
"Nineteen…"
His arms nearly gave out. He clenched his fists. One more.
"Twenty!"
He collapsed again, heart pounding, chest heaving like a machine. Sweat soaked through his shirt.
Task 2 Completed. +10 exp.
Total Exp: 15/20
"Still not twenty?" he asked, eyebrows furrowing.
Remaining task: Walk 1km
Reward: +5 exp
Lenny let his head rest on the floor for a while. "Fine. One more task."
He eventually stood up, legs stiff and shaky. After wobbling to the bathroom to splash his face with water, he changed into a clean pair of jeans and a hoodie. He tied his sneakers carefully, then slung his bag over his shoulder.
The house was still quiet. His mom would be up by 6:30 to prepare breakfast for Lizzy before she left for school. Dad probably wouldn't be back until late tonight; he had taken an extra shift at the warehouse again.
Lenny looked at the time: 05:47 am.
Plenty of time before his first class at 8:00 am. If he walked now, he'd make it. He usually took the bus, but walking would finish the final task—and he didn't want to miss the reward. He hadn't "leveled up" at anything in real life before. This was new.
He stepped outside. The early morning air was crisp, with a cool wind brushing against his face. His breath came out in visible puffs. A soft orange hue was beginning to crawl across the horizon. He zipped up his hoodie and started walking.
Task tracking enabled. Distance: 0.00km / 1.00km
It was quiet, just the sound of his own footsteps echoing along the pavement. The city was just waking up. High above, sleek metal buildings towered like titans. The hum of early-morning traffic floated down from the sky lanes; flying cars, delivery drones, and jet taxis cruised along set routes in the pale dawn light.
The streets on ground level weren't so impressive. Broken sidewalks, flickering streetlamps, and overflowing dumpsters. His neighborhood was one of the lower zones. Not dangerous, just forgotten.
He passed by Mrs. Nguyen's corner shop. The shutters were still down. He usually bought snacks there after school. She always slipped him a free candy whenever he brought Lizzy along.
Distance walked: 0.35km
He wasn't even halfway, and already he was feeling it. The soreness in his arms returned. His legs weren't thrilled either. He shifted the weight of his backpack from one shoulder to the other and pressed on.
"System," he said aloud, eyes forward. "You there?"
Yes, Lenny, you don't have to speak out loud; just think, remember?.
"Okay, okay... How long do these daily tasks go on for?"
Tasks reset every 24 hours. Daily completion is advised for optimal progression.
"Figures. Is there a punishment if I skip?"
Not at this level. But missed days will slow your advancement.
Lenny nodded. That seemed fair. For now.
Distance walked: 0.58km
He passed a group of sanitation bots cleaning the side of the road. One of them paused and turned toward him, red scanner blinking across his face. Then it turned back and continued its work, spraying some foam over graffiti.
A few blocks later, he passed a bus stop. The usual crowd was there—students, a few older folks heading to work, and a man selling coffee from a cart. Lenny's legs begged him to sit and wait for the bus, but he shook his head and walked past.
One of the students looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Lenny realized he was sweating more than usual. His hoodie clung to his back.
Distance walked: 0.91km
Just a little more.
He could see the outer walls of Green Valley University up ahead. The gray concrete structure looked dull even in the warm morning light. The university's main gate had a flickering digital sign above it, welcoming students to the "Future of Tomorrow." Lenny always thought that was ironic, considering the campus looked like it belonged in the past.
Task 1 Completed. +5 exp.
Total Exp: 20/20
Level Up!
You are now Level 2.
+5 stat points awarded.
Lenny stopped walking and blinked.
"No way… I actually leveled up?"
Please assign stat points manually or let the system auto-distribute.
"Manual," he said quickly. "Show me the stats."
Name: Lenny
Species: Human [enhanced by the system]
Level: 2
Health: 110/110
Exp: 0/30
Strength: 25
Speed: 20
Agility: 15
Intelligence: 30
Endurance: 20
Charm: 1
Available Stat Points: 5
He read through them carefully. If he was going to keep doing physical tasks, he needed more strength and endurance. Speed wouldn't hurt either.
"Put 2 points in Strength, 2 in Endurance, and 1 in Speed."
Stat points allocated.
Strength: 27
Endurance: 22
Speed: 21
He felt the change instantly. It wasn't huge, but it was there. A lightness in his steps, like his limbs weren't quite as heavy. His breath came a little easier.
He smiled, then continued walking.
He crossed the gate and made his way toward the engineering block. He still had over an hour before his first class started. That gave him time to grab something from the vending machine or maybe sit down and breathe.
The school grounds were still mostly empty. A janitor bot glided across the courtyard, vacuuming up loose trash and fallen leaves. Lenny passed the statue of the school founder—Professor Graham, a man with a ridiculous mustache and a frozen pose of triumph.
As he neared the engineering building, his stomach growled.
"System," he whispered. "I deserve breakfast for that walk. Can I get points for that too?"
Food consumption does not grant exp.
But proper nutrition is encouraged to maintain physical performance.
Lenny chuckled. "Even you can't stop me from eating a chocolate bar."
He pulled open the door to the building and stepped inside, the chill of the air conditioning hitting him instantly. The hallway lights flickered on as he walked in.
No one else was there yet.
Just the sound of his own footsteps, echoing quietly.
He found a bench near his classroom and dropped his bag. He pulled out his phone and checked the time, 06:39 am.
Still early.
For once, he didn't mind.