After parting ways with Sarah and Alice near the quest board, Adrian slipped into a quiet corner behind one of the newly manifested buildings. His fingers flicked lightly in the air, opening the familiar in-game interface. Though the world now buzzed with players and life, this corner remained calm—perfect for digging deeper.
He tapped on a tab marked [Connect], a feature he remembered from one of the game's early press drops. Online Ascendance had advertised a breakthrough—allowing limited access to outside apps by syncing your phone with your player profile. He had already entered his device code yesterday when they set up the accounts. Now, it paid off.
A faint shimmer appeared before his eyes, and a floating screen emerged, simulating a phone UI. The browser was a sleek, fantasy-themed overlay, marked by the logo of a golden quill over a blue crystal.
[CrystalNet]
He opened the browser and quickly typed in:
"What is physique?"
Several results appeared instantly, the algorithm more intuitive than the real-world version. His eyes scanned through the top definitions:
Physique: the form, structure, and development of the human body, especially as it relates to strength and capability.
In martial contexts: the body's capacity to sustain, generate, and transfer power through kinetic, muscular, and energetic alignment.
Then examples.
A trained gymnast has a physique oriented toward explosive control.
A sprinter's physique balances leg strength with breathing patterns to enhance acceleration.
Monks across ancient traditions built a martial physique by harmonizing movement, breath, and willpower.
Adrian sat back, thoughts racing. So the book wasn't just poetic—it was literal. Every stat—Strength, Agility, Endurance—was part of a complete body system. But Physique was the glue. The framework. The language that connected them.
It's not about raising stats—it's about unifying them.
He closed the browser with a flick and looked down at the worn book resting on his knee.
A quiet breath escaped his lips. He didn't say it aloud, but the words stirred in his chest:
"Sorry for doing it like this, old man."
Just then, a subtle chime echoed in his mind. His interface shimmered—and a new window bloomed before his eyes.
[Notification]
You have comprehended the concept of "Physique."
A new stat has been added: [Physique].
All major stats now harmonize under Physique.
[Physique] – A core stat representing your body's capacity to utilize and align with other attributes. It enhances stat efficiency and physical synergy, acting as a catalyst between Strength, Endurance, Agility, and Stamina.
Below the notification, a web of thin lines branched out across the stat screen like a glowing lattice. Every stat—his modest Strength, his beginner-level Agility—now had a light-blue thread leading to a central node labeled Physique.
The web pulsed slowly, almost like a heartbeat.
He tapped into the new stat to expand the description.
[Physique – Tier 0 (Unawakened)]
Physique is a core stat that represents your body's total physical development and durability. It increases through consistent physical activity and real exertion, not grinding for numbers.
Training Methods:
Sword Training: Gain Physique EXP through repeated, proper weapon swings.
Running & Movement: Long-distance travel or evasive actions build Physique over time.
Damage Endurance: Taking hits and recovering naturally increases resistance and core strength.
Climbing, Lifting, Jumping: Natural body strain from real motion contributes to growth.
Effects:
Slightly increases all physical stat efficiency (Strength, Endurance, Agility, Stamina) based on Physique level.
Improves recovery rate after physical activity.
Enhances muscle control and resistance to fatigue with higher values.
Adrian's eyes widened slightly.
Flow Techniques. Body Styles?
He hadn't seen those words anywhere in the starter guides. Not even the dev logs had mentioned them.
He slowly closed the stat screen, but the soft pulse of Physique still echoed in his mind.
This wasn't a bonus stat. This was foundational. He hadn't just been given a class—he had been handed a philosophy. One that required effort, patience, and depth.
No wonder the elder gave him that book instead of a fancy weapon or orb. He wasn't giving a shortcut—he was opening a door.
Adrian stood up and stretched his arms slowly. He felt the faintest change—not a boost in muscle or power, but a sense of connection between his limbs. Every movement was slightly more aware, like his body was slowly syncing to itself.
He looked toward the village square where Sarah and Alice were laughing at a quest board together, comparing options.
They had their classes.
He had something else.
And even if he couldn't explain it to them yet, he had no intention of being left behind.
Adrian cracked his neck, tucked the book into his inventory, and stepped forward.
There was much more to uncover.
And this time, he would feel it with every breath.
Adrian stood near the side of the weapon vendor's stall, the dull shine of copper flickering in the low sun above the snow-coated village. The air was quiet, save for the distant sound of newcomers laughing, footsteps crunching in the snow, and the occasional chime of the system as players received notifications or opened their inventory.
His ten copper coins didn't feel like much, but in the early game, it was everything. A single chance to shape what came next.
The others were still browsing—Alice spinning a hefty-looking mace between her fingers with a lazy grin, while Sarah tested the weight of a longsword, swinging it with fluid grace. The two of them looked like they were born into the roles the elder assigned them. Strong, bold, solid. One like a wall; the other like a speeding spear.
He glanced down at his own hands—slim, steady, calloused in real life, but somehow replicated exactly here. He opened his status briefly and stared at it.
Adrian Vale
Class: —
Level: 1
Stats:
Strength: 3
Agility: 5
Endurance: 3
Stamina: 4
Intelligence: 4
Luck: 1
Physique: 1 (Tier 0 – Unawakened)
He didn't need overwhelming Strength. Not with Sarah and Alice up front, absorbing damage like twin titans. What he needed… was the ability to move, to slip past attention, to strike clean and fast. Something silent. Something sharp.
He turned to the vendor. An older man with scars across his face and a distant, wolf-like gaze.
"I need something light," Adrian said. "Quick. Nothing fancy. Just lethal."
The vendor grunted and reached under the counter, pulling out a simple short sword. The blade wasn't polished, but it was clean and curved slightly at the tip—compact, easy to conceal, and clearly meant for speed.
"Eight coppers," the vendor said, eyeing him.
Adrian didn't hesitate. He slid the coins forward and took the weapon. As soon as his fingers curled around the hilt, a soft chime echoed in his ear.
Class Detected: Assassin (Tier 0 – Basic)
You have chosen the path of speed and critical precision.
Assassin skills are unlocked through experience and stealth-based actions.
The blade felt natural in his hand. It wasn't about defense or brute strength. It was about opportunity.
Alice approached with a stretch and a yawn, her new war mace resting across her shoulders. "So, our little shadow's going edgy with a blade, huh?"
"I'd say it fits him," Sarah chimed in, bouncing her sword off her shoulder. "You're quiet enough to make a ninja look loud."
Adrian smirked slightly. "You two are tanks. Someone has to hit from the side."
"Oh, we're gonna look good as a squad," Sarah said, eyes shining. "We just need matching cloaks or something."
As they moved through the village streets again, newly equipped, Adrian felt something shift. Every step he took—not just forward but decisive, purposeful—fed something inside him. He paused briefly and brought up the stat again.
Physique: 2 (Tier 0 – Unawakened)
You have grown through motion. Keep moving to strengthen the body.
Just like that.
So simple, yet satisfying. It wasn't just a number—it was a reflection of effort. Of movement. Of real development.
He tested his weapon with a few swings as they walked toward the village exit. The action wasn't flashy. No skill was triggered. But there was a comfort in the resistance of the air, the momentum of the motion. Each movement felt more connected than the last.
A moment later, another message pinged.
Physique EXP: +4
Form clean. Breath aligned. Continue.
"Yo, Adrian," Alice said, catching up to him. "How's that thing feeling?"
"Light," he replied. "Good. Fast."
"Like you."
He rolled his eyes lightly, but didn't deny it.
Sarah grinned. "You sure you don't want something flashier? I saw a dagger that glows red."
"This isn't about flash," Adrian said. "It's about getting the job done."
"Damn," Sarah muttered. "That's hot."
They all laughed, just a little, as they continued toward the outer gate of the village, weapons newly acquired, ready for whatever lay ahead.
"Just remember," Adrian added, eyes sharp, "we don't have armor. A few hits, and we're toast."
"I'm the toastiest," Alice said with a lazy smile, spinning her mace. "So they'll have to get through me first."
"And then me second," Sarah said, pointing her sword like a spear. "You just stay in the shadows, nerd."
"I will," Adrian muttered, more to himself than to them, his hand tightening around the hilt of his short sword.
No armor. No second chances.
Just speed, precision, and whatever the world threw their way.
And beneath it all, his Physique stat climbed. Slowly. Tangibly. Step by step. Fight by fight.
He didn't need anything fancy. Not yet.
But this world was real.
And he would master it the same way he mastered code.
One clean line at a time.